Ex-Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, has debunked the reports linking him to a planned marriage, describing former First Lady Aisha Buhari as “a mother figure.”

The speculation, which gained massive traction on platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), was propped by an image presented as a “pre-wedding” photograph of the duo.

It surfaced months after ex-President Muhammadu Buhari passed away in July 2025. Aisha Buhari completed her Islamic mourning period (idda) on November 18, 2025, after which talks about remarriage began to spread.

However, a comprehensive verification by PRNigeria, supported by digital forensic analysis, confirmed that the widely circulated image is fabricated and the accompanying claim is completely unfounded.

The purported “pre-wedding” photo was subjected to InVid verification forensics and AI-detection tools, which substantiated that the photograph was artificially generated.

It was discovered that the originators used digital manipulation to superimpose the faces of the former Minister and the former First Lady into a wedding-themed template.

Checks of their official social media accounts revealed no indication or reference suggesting marriage plans. Searches across credible news platforms also produced no corroborating evidence.

Pantami, in a phone chat with PRNigeria, said: “It is shocking that anyone would fabricate such a rumour. President Buhari is a father figure to us, and we regard his widow as a mother. The claim is baseless and impossible.”

Bashir Ahmad, a former presidential aide, dismissed the claim on his Facebook page. “The story that Hajiya Aisha Buhari has agreed to marry Sheikh Isa Ali Pantami is an outright lie. There is absolutely no truth in it whatsoever.”

Further evidence debunking the rumour emerged from the recently launched 600-page biography, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr. Charles Omole.

The former First Lady was quoted on the subject. “She will not remarry…she has grandchildren; one husband was enough,” the book noted, highlighting her transition to a quieter public life focused on her foundation and family.