A renowned educationist and politician, Dr. Garba Shehu Matazu, has underscored the need to adopt a non-partisan approach in dealing with the challenges posed by the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.
The disease has infected no fewer than 2,802 persons while accounting for 93 deaths nationwide so far.
However, the three-time member of the Federal House of Representatives said that following the immeasurable work of the nation’s heroic healthcare workers in the frontline, 417 persons have been successfully treated and discharged as at weekend.
Dr. Matazu made the observation in a statement made available in Abuja on Tuesday against the backdrop of assertion of Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, that the current spate of community spread of COVID-19 could have been stemmed if Nigeria had shut its borders earlier than it did in late March.
He recalled that a former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had following the emergence of the first incident case, an Italian, urged the government to consider seriously the prospects of restricting flights from countries and territories with prevalent cases of the disease.
He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku Abubakar had said in that February warning that now is the time to temporarily halt flights to and from any nation with a prevalence of this scourge.
“It is more important to secure human lives, than to secure an economy.
“We also need to invest in early detection facilities at our airports.”
Dr. Matazu said that weekend’s pronouncement by Governor Fayemi that if Nigeria had shut down its entry ports earlier, the number of cases won’t stop climbing till June and July is a vindication of Atiku Abubakar’s patriotic call on government to shut the country’s borders as far back as in February.
The member of PDP Board of Trustees representing Katsina State noted that if the Waziri of Adamawa’s counsel had been taken in good faith for what it is, precious lives of Nigerians would have been saved.
Dr. Matazu restated that what the nation needs at this moment is unity and national resolve, and urged government at all levels to eschew partisan politics in the battle to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Every idea put forward must be examined on its merit, and under no circumstance in this emergency situation should a baby be thrown away with the bath water.
“All hands, irrespective of party affiliation must be on deck. This battle can only be won by putting our best foot forward, and by the central government standing united in a collaborative manner with the state governments,” Dr. Matazu said.
