By Myke Uzendu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said that the recent increase in COVID-19 spread was as a result of the reopening of the economy without post-lockdown stimulus which resulted in economic stampede as well as massive violation of health safety and social distancing protocols.
The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Sunday, lamented that the alarming increase in infection and mortality rates in Nigeria would have been curtailed if the nation had a proactive leadership with the capacity to articulate a quick national response to the pandemic.
The PDP said, “Mr. President is working from a blind spot, his reopening of the economy without any post-lockdown stimulus had further worsened the situation as the resultant economic stampede had led to massive violation of health safety and social distancing protocols.
“Furthermore, our party holds that Mr. President’s failure is also responsible for our nation’s inability to rally indigenous researchers, manufactures, virologists and healers for home-grown solutions, which would have arrested the situation in our country.
“Rather, the Buhari Presidency is laid back, waiting for foreign solutions while the pandemic ravages our nation.”
The party observed that “President Buhari’s backseat approach had also encouraged the reckless pillaging of COVID-19 palliatives by his officials, leaving majority of poor and vulnerable Nigerians unattended to; a principal factor responsible for the general poor compliance to lockdown directives in major cities.”
PDP further alleged that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 is bogged down by political parochialism and corruption and that they are shutting out experts from coming in to assist the nation with solutions.
The PDP called on President Buhari to accept failure and not resort to scapegoatism.
The party stressed that its focus remains on the health, security and wellbeing of Nigerians and that it will not relent in protecting the interest of Nigerians.
