Joseph Bakare
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to allay public fears by addressing the nation on the status of the Presidential Villa; in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This call by the PDP is coming on reports that President Buhari’s Chief of Staff; Abba Kyari, had tested positive to the deadly coronavirus disease.
Spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement issued on Tuesday, March 24; explained the party noted that though President Buhari was reported to have tested negative to the virus; it’s still imperative that he doused public tension by addressing a distressed nation on the status of the Villa.
The PDP added that given the fact that Kyari and some other top government officials had travelled to high-risk countries in the course of official duties recent times; the President owed it a duty to address a distraught nation.
It further stated that a public address regarding the situation in the Presidential villa will further douse public concerns about the status of certain key officials; who have not been visible in the last few days.
The party stressed that Nigerians, no matter how highly placed, should strictly adhere to directives by relevant agencies of government on health safety measures; particularly as they relate to the isolation of persons returning from foreign trips.
The PDP also implored the Nigerian Center for Disease Control, NCDC, and other relevant agencies to adopt stringent measures to isolate and monitor persons coming into the country; as well as to track and equally isolate those who had made contacts with infected persons.
“In this regard, the NCDC should move into the Presidential villa and immediately track and isolate all those who had made contact with President Buhari’s Chief of Staff; so as to check further spread of COVID-19 in our country”, the PDP said.