PDP Blames Buhari Over Rising COVID-19 Cases And Fatalities

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for the nation’s failure in the fight against coronavirus as the number of infections and fatalities continues to rise in the country.

Meridian Spy reported Sunday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC confirmed 248 new cases of the virus as the tally of infected persons in the country rose to 4,399 while deaths and discharged increased to 143 and 778 respectively.

The opposition party, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday, said the manifest incompetence of the Presidency as well as President’s lack of visibility and failure to personally lead from the front are responsible for the failure to check the spread of COVID-19 in our country.

The PDP laments that the alarming increase in infection and mortality rates in Nigeria would have been curtailed if the nation had a competent, proactive and transparent leadership with the capacity to articulate a quick national response to the pandemic.

The party said the backseat approach of Buhari 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.

The statements read: “The party notes that the situation had been worsened by greedy and corrupt APC leaders and the cabal in the Presidency, who are cashing in on President Buhari’s ineffectiveness to pillage resources meant for the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in our country.

“The PDP describes as distressing that since the outbreak of the pandemic in Nigeria, Mr. President had not demonstrated the desired visibility; addressed the nation only thrice (each time, after much prodding), after which he had remained out of public visibility, leading to lack of effective coordination of the fight against the pandemic.

“Moreover, President Buhari has failed to act on wise suggestions by well-meaning Nigerians, particularly on administration of palliatives and production of homegrown therapeutics.

“Since the third recorded broadcast, Mr. President had receded into the safety of the Aso Presidential Villa, leaving his inept aides to continue to issue disjointed claims and uncoordinated directives.

“The PDP invites Nigerians to note that President Buhari’s failure to make himself visible and personally lead from the front had resulted in the failure to develop a strong all-inclusive and seamless national response against the pandemic; leading to diverse responses by various states and a consequent spike in spread and mortality rates.

“President Buhari had woefully failed to spur and lead a strong teamwork of federal, state governments and the organized private sector for a proactive response that would have checked the spread of the pandemic in our country.

“The party observed that President Buhari 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.

“The PDP laments that given that Mr. President is working from a blind spot due to his narrow involvement in the fight, 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 homegrown solutions, which would have arrested the situation in our country.”