In defiance of the advice of the former Nigeria’s Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on whose platform he contested the 2019 election has blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for the entry of conoravirus into the country.The party argued insisted that “negligence and laid-back attitude to governance and the welfare of Nigerians led to the avoidable entrance of the deadly corona virus.”
In a statement today, February 28, the part’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said: “it was evident that 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 stressed that a responsive and proactive government would have mobilized effective surveillance and screening measures to ward off the menace, particularly at the entry points, alleging that the Buhari administration, was more interested in propaganda and unnecessary showboating with false performance claims.
It also alleged that the Buhari administration had done nothing to assist Nigerian citizens stranded in China despite their pleas, the same way it allegedly abandoned the compatriots who were being murdered in the heat of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The party urged the ministry of health to continue to be open and not allow propaganda, speculations and misinformation in the handling of the health emergency.
“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 therefore calls on Nigerians not to despair but 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.
“The party called on 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.
“The PDP also advised Nigerians to be very vigilant and follow intervention directives to ensure that the disease does not spread in the country.”
The party’s presidential flagbearer had earlier issued a statement cautioning against blame games and stressed the need to be united in confronting the viru the same way Ebola was defeated frontally in 2014.
