The main opposition party in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari to “stand up to his responsibilities” as Nigeria’s number one citizen and address the detection of the deadly COVID-19 in the country.
The PDP, in an e-mailed statement to The Trent on Sunday, March 1, 2020 by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it is imperative for President Buhari to show concerns by directly addressing heightening national anxieties on the current state of the virus.
“The party described as absolute leadership failure that Mr. President has not considered it imperative to show concern by directly addressing a panic-stricken nation even in the face of escalated national trepidations and conflicting reports.
“The PDP charges President Buhari to wake up and treat the COVID-19, deservedly, as a looming national disaster, which requires a prompt and full Presidential involvement at the top level,” it added.
Stressing further the PDP maintained that President Buhari should be at the forefront in shouldering the responsibility and also, restate the government’s efforts at containing the virus.
“The party notes that at a critical time like this, Mr. President ought to be at the forefront in shouldering responsibility. A Presidential address would have reassured the people, reinforced government direction and multi-sectoral intervention for concerted effort to contain the scourge.
“The PDP holds that the quickest expectation of the average Nigerians is that the Federal Government should immediately step its emergency response system to calm the pervading fear among Nigerians.”
