Nigerians urged to ignore Bello’s stance on COVID-19 vaccines

Nigerians have been urged to ignore the stance of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State on the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing vaccination in the country.

Bello has consistently disputed the reality of COVID-19 and declared that Kogi State had no business with the vaccines.

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But a senior official of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, who cannot be name because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, told our correspondent in Abuja that the governor should not prevent Nigerians who are willing, even in Kogi, to take the vaccine in the designated centres where it may be deployed.

The official said hundreds of people in Kogi State had signed up on the government’s portal to register to take the vaccine, despite the stance of the governor.

“Let us see if the governor or some other people would disrupt or prevent people who are willing in the state or elsewhere from taking the vaccine. I think you will agree with me that the government would take decisive action should that happen,’’ the official said.

When contacted, the national incident manager of the PTF, Dr Mukhtar Muhammad, declined comment on the governor’s comments or his stance on the virus and the vaccine.

He, however, told our reporter that President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and some other top government officials had taken jabs of the vaccine, saying that was enough to convince Nigerians about its efficacy.

Some residents of Kogi State spoken to in Lokoja on this matter expressed mixed feelings; some condemned the stance of the governor while others expressed their support.