Garba Shehu,
presidential spokesman, has described as “cheap and sensational”, the senate’s
call on President Muhammadu Buhari to address Nigerians over the coronavirus
pandemic.
At plenary on Wednesday, the lawmakers expressed concern
that the president has not addressed Nigerians since the country recorded its
first case of the virus last month.
But in a statement on Thursday, Shehu accused the senators
of politicising the matter.
“Populist advocacies such as the one accusing the President
of ‘complacency’ simply because he has not made a television address by ranking
members of our respected parliament are cheap and sensational. These are not
the times for populism and cheap politics,” Shehu said.
“North, South, East, and West – all Nigerians must unite to
fight this plague, irrespective of religious or ideological affiliation.
“We also plead with Nigerians not to see this most peculiar
of times as one to be politicised or seen as an opportunity to regurgitate
grudges against the government or the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).”
Shehu said there is no cause for alarm as the country is “on
top of the situation”.
He said the Buhari administration has taken some steps to
check the spread of the virus.
The spokesman identified some of the measures to include
travel ban on 13 countries, reduction of petrol price, and availability of
credit relief for affected businesses.
“The Presidency wishes to assure Nigerians that government
is on top of the situation. There is no cause for panic. So far measures put in
place are working efficiently. What this country is doing has been recommended
as a template,” he said.
“The President trusts the relevant Ministers in his cabinet
and the officials of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), who are
providing him with constant updates and professional counsel. These officials
have a track record of competence.
“We do not want to create panic. But we will continue to
update the Nigerian public with relevant information. We plead with every
Nigerian to cooperate with the government in the fight against Covid-19 and
obey all instructions from the NCDC.”
Nigeria recorded four new coronavirus cases, bringing the
total number of confirmed cases in the country to 12.
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