Don’t not be despair by Buhari’s failure to make himself available, PDP tells Nigerians

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Nigerians not to despair over President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to make himself available in personally leading in the search for solution and regularly addressing the nation on the developments on issues related to the pandemic, like other world leaders.

The PDP in a statement on Friday by, Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary called on all Nigerians not to be overcome by fear and anxiety but remain heedful in following health safety directives, personal hygiene and social distancing as well as extending charity to one another, while also praying for divine intervention at this perilous time,” the party said.

The party also commended the organized private sector and corporate bodies for their response in cash donations and other interventions in the efforts to contain and stop further spread of COVID-19 in the country.
COVID-19 has exposed fragility of world’s economy – ILO

The party also commended health workers and other public safety functionaries for their sacrifices in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic despite alleged lapses by the federal government which it said allegedly failed in being visible and leading from the front in the effort to combat the scourge.

“It would be recalled that following the lethargic approach of the Buhari Presidency, the PDP had taken up the onus in calling on the corporate bodies, the organized business community, research and medical institutions as well as public-spirited individuals to immediately come to the rescue.

“The party expresses happiness with the response so far received from the private sector. It urged the authorities to ensure judicious use of the resources while calling on other public-spirited organizations, groups and individuals to join in the overall effort to curtail the impact of the deadly virus in our nation.

“The PDP lamented that President Muhammadu Buhari had not demonstrated expected visibility to give hope and direction, as well as douse public apprehension particularly at a time the public space is awash with uncertainties regarding the status of the Presidential villa since his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari tested positive to COVID-19. “

The party however urged Nigerians not to despair over President Buhari’s failure to make himself available in personally leading in the search for solution and regularly addressing the nation on the developments on issues related to the pandemic, like other world leaders.

“The PDP expressed optimism that despite such manifest leadership failure at this critical time, our nation will definitely overcome the present challenge with our brotherliness and collective resilient spirit, for which we are known all over the world.

“The party therefore called on all Nigerians not to be overcome by fear and anxiety but remain heedful in following health safety directives, personal hygiene and social distancing as well as extending charity to one another, while also praying for divine intervention at this perilous time,” the party said.

The party had earlier expressed worry over public apprehensions of collapse of governance command structure in the Buhari Presidency, since the isolation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari, who tested positive to the deadly COVID-19.

The party said it was disturbed by heightening public anxiety over who controls governance machinery as President Buhari had remained silent on a new governance command structure, since his Chief of Staff, to whom he had relinquished control and supervision of ministers and other sensitive government officials, was quarantined.

The PDP is worried that Nigerians are now at loss regarding who the cabinet ministers and other officials of the Federal Government currently report to, a development that has sparked apprehensions of a collapse of governance command structure at the Federal Executive.

Already, there is heightened public apprehensions that the development could have been the reason behind the cancellation of Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s scheduled Federal Government’s briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic thereby denying Nigerians much needed update on issues relating to the coronavirus disease.

The party notes that Nigerians are distressed that President Buhari had remained silent on the spread of COVID-19 and had failed to address the nation since some Presidency officials, as well as some state governors and other high profile officials and individuals reportedly tested positive to the virus.

The PDP calls on President Buhari to immediately come out clean on who is in charge of the governance structure, since Malam Kyrai has been quarantined.

Our party wants President Buhari to note that, what Nigerians expect of him at this point in our history is to end his silence, be visible and take up the challenge of personally leading in governance, particularly in this fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, like other leaders across the globe.

The PDP also counsels President Buhari to wake up and engage other world leaders, international bodies and global health sector stakeholders for solution.

In the meantime, the PDP calls on the corporate bodies, the organized business community, international organizations, research and medical institutions and public-spirited individuals to immediately rally with other members of the international community for solutions to check the spread of COVID-19 in our country.

The party urged the groups to concert effort towards provision of test kits, medications and facilities while calling on Nigerians to intensify effort in observing directives on social distancing and personal hygiene to check further spread of the pandemic in the country