Corona Virus: PDP Blasts FG For Negligence, Propaganda
- Wants concerted efforts, adoption of Ebola intervention strategy
- Accuses FG of unnecessary showboating
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the Buhari Presidency’s negligence and laidback attitude to governance and the welfare of Nigerians should be blamed for the avoidable entrance of the deadly corona virus into Nigeria.
According to the main opposition party, it is evident the “Buhari Presidency, not being alive to its responsibilities, as usual, took no concrete steps to hedge our nation against the virus, leading to the current scary situation.”
The PDP’s position, contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said; “a responsive and proactive government would have mobilized effective surveillance and screening measures to ward off the menace, particularly at our entry points, but the incompetent, insensitive and indifferent Buhari administration, was more interested in propaganda and unnecessary showboating with false performance claims.”
It also said the Buhari administration has so far done nothing to assist Nigerian citizens stranded in China despite their pleas, just the same way it abandoned our compatriots who were being murdered in the heat of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
“Nigerians should directly hold the Buhari Presidency responsible should any national calamity arose from COVID-19 in addition to the economic and security challenges its negligence had caused our nation.
“Due to the negligence and incompetence of the Buhari administration, Nigerians can no longer move freely across their country for fear of insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and now corona virus.
“Indeed, the Buhari government is a huge misfortune to our nation. This latest leadership failure further validates widespread calls for it to step aside for more competent hands to manage the affairs of our country”, the PDP said.
Calling on “Nigerians not to despair”, the PDP said it is time to “stir up the Nigerian resilient spirit for an urgent, multi sectoral concerted effort by agencies, groups, corporate entities and public-spirited individuals to immediately curb the disease before it spreads, particularly given the prevalent security, economic and humanitarian challenges in the country.”
It also urged the “Federal Government to end its cosmetic attitude and immediately adopt the proactive strategy used by the PDP administration to promptly contain the Ebola Virus disease in 2014.”
While advising Nigerians to be “very vigilant and follow intervention directives to ensure that the disease does not spread in the country”, the PDP urged the Ministry of health to continue to be “open and not allow propaganda, speculations and misinformation in the handling of this health emergency” in the country.
