PDP Lambasts APC over 336 Deaths from Meningitis

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress-led government of being insensitive, careless and adamant to the plight of Nigerians over the outbreak of the cerebrospinal meningitis in the country.

The party which described Zamfara State Governor,  Abdulazizi Yari’s attitude towards the disease scourge as “apathetic” asked him to resign from office forthwith.

In a statement issued by the spokesman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party asked the APC to try and do something urgently to end the menace rather than playing politics with the disease outbreak.

According to PDP, the apparent inability of the APC-led administration to curtail the scourge is disheartening and preposterous, adding that Yari’s statement attributing the outbreak of meningitis to God’s punishment on the people, is most insensitive and careless.

“For the record, the primary responsibility of any government is to protect the lives and property of its citizens, and the APC-led government has remain insensitive, careless and adamant to the plight of Nigerians in all ramification,” it said.

PDP accused President Muhammadu Buhari-led government of wasting  so much funds on the State House Clinic with no tangible result while neglecting other health centers and clinics across the country that have capacities to manage the health challenges of other Nigerians.

The opposition party said: “As of April 4, 2017, about 336 Nigerians have lost their lives due to the outbreak of type C cerebrospinal meningitis and the Federal Ministry of Health has not taken any concrete step to contend with the spread. It is on record that the PDP government in 16 years did not allow such mindless display of insensitivity as seen by this APC administration.

“More worrisome is the statement credited to the Governor Yari in which he attributed the outbreak of meningitis to God’s making. This is shameful and very unfortunate as the APC has run out of reasons to blame previous PDP administration but it’s now blaming God for its failures,” it said.

While reacting to the statements credited to Yari, PDP said rather than blame God for his failures and that of his party, the APC should avoid incurring God’s anger on their crass ineptitude in governance.

“We wish to advise him to resign immediately for making such statement as a state governor and the Chairman of Governors’ Forum who is supposed to bring hope to the people and not despair.

“Finally, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to stop playing politics with this outbreak and do everything within its power to end the menace. As a party, our heart goes to the families of all those who lost their lives to the scourge within this period.

“We urge all Nigerians to drink more water, sleep in a ventilated environment and report symptoms to the nearest health center within their areas for quick medical attention,” said PDP.