COVID-19: PDP asks Buhari to ‘wake up’ after ECOWAS appointment

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use his appointment as the ECOWAS COVID-19 Response Champion to more aggressively tackle the spread of the pandemic in Nigeria.

In a statement issued by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition party advised Mr Buhari to see the appointment as a wakeup call for more intensive efforts through his leadership role in the fight against the pandemic in Nigeria.

He advised the president to immediately re-engineer the national approach and bring in known experts and competent hands in various relevant fields to help develop and implement an urgent national strategy to check the spread of the pandemic in the country and the sub-region.

Mr Ologbondiyan also advised Mr Buhari to look beyond the officials of his administration to implement the desired national proactive response, including the provision of drugs, equipment and transparent distribution of palliatives.

“Our nation needs a response system that can galvanize multilateral interventions to contain and defeat the deadly virus as well as action a quick economic stimulation after the pandemic,” he said.

Mr Ologbondiyan urged Buhari to stand up to the challenge, be more visible and personally involved in the front.

The party further enjoined the president to constitute the eminent Nigerian group to manage COVID-19 donations so as to eliminate corruption and political bottlenecks.

“Furthermore, the PDP calls on Mr President to channel all government palliatives to states for implementation through our local governments, traditional and faith-based institutions.

“This should be done while taking urgent steps to slash the price of fuel, reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT), recover alleged stolen funds and direct such as panacea to Nigerians.