The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration for the entry of conoravirus into the country.
The party argued that “negligence and laid-back attitude to governance and the welfare of Nigerians led to the avoidable entrance of the deadly corona virus.”
The party in a statement Friday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan however asked the federal government to adopt the Ebola intervention strategy to nip the situation in the bud.
The party argued that “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 further argued 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 said.
The All Progressives Congress, APC in 2014 attacked the then president, Goodluck Jonathan and his party PDP for taking credit for the successful containing of Ebola virus disease.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is the current minister of Information and Culture described as a sheer act dishonesty for Jonathan and the PDP to take credit for the successes recorded out of collective efforts.
Lai said Jonathan and his party were wrong for taking the credit of the successful containment of the EVD without giving due recognition to the real heroes of the battle: Dr. Stella Adadevoh and her colleagues at the First Consultant Hospital, officials of the Ministries of Health in Lagos and Rivers states and the patriotic Nigerian volunteers.
