Buhari Engages Health Minister, NCDC Chief Over COVID-19

• Meeting debunks claims of President’s medical trip

BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – Amid wild speculations in the social media and public space about his being flown abroad hurriedly for COVID-19 medical treatment, President Muhammadu Buhari late Saturday afternoon held a closed door meeting with the Minister of Health, Professor Osagie Ehanire.

Also attending the meeting that took place at the State House, Abuja was the Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ikekweazu.

Interestingly, pictures taken at of the meeting and uploaded online by the State House, showed Buhari and the two top government officials observing the now popular social distancing ethics recommended by various health authorities to check the spread of this rampaging pandemic.

Presidency insiders hinted the meeting, arranged for both officials to brief the President and update him on the situation on ground, especially ongoing efforts and challenges at handling the health threat to Nigerians each passing day, also help the Presidency to achieve another purpose.

Our usual competent sources claimed that importantly, the sudden meeting between the President and the duo was also packaged as an unofficial response by the Presidency to insinuations that the number one citizen has nocturnally been ferried out of the country to an undisclosed location for urgent medical care over the corona virus infection.

“With the fake news gaining traction through widely-circulated audio materials that the President has taken ill and flown out for treatment abroad, some Presidency egg-heads felt something away from the usual press statement denying such reports would be more auspicious at this very moment, hence the meeting and the immediate upload of pictures capturing the scene on the Internet”, our source said

According to the source, “I can tell you without any doubt that the strategy proved quite effective more than a mere press statement that many would have readily dismissed as another the Presidency’s theatrics to deceive Nigerians.”

Meanwhile, confirmed cases of the virus have continued to rise in Nigeria as more states as well as key political figures across the country record positive results from those tested and in self-isolation.

However, only one confirmed death from the raging Covid-19 has so far been officially reported in the country.