Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night expressed worry over public apprehensions of perceived collapse of governance structure in the presidency, since the isolation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari, who tested positive to COVID-19.
The main opposition party said in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan that it was disturbed by heightening public anxiety over who controls governance machinery as President Buhari had remained silent on a new governance command structure, since his Chief of Staff, to whom he had relinquished control and supervision of ministers and other sensitive government officials, was quarantined.
According to the statement, “the PDP is worried that Nigerians are now at loss regarding who the cabinet ministers and other officials of the Federal Government currently report to, a development that has sparked apprehensions of a collapse of governance command structure at the Federal Executive.
“Already, there is heightened public apprehensions that the development could have been the reason behind the cancellation of Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s scheduled Federal Government’s briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic thereby denying Nigerians much needed update on issues relating to the coronavirus disease”, the party said. .
PDP noted that Nigerians are distressed that President Buhari had remained silent on the spread of COVID-19 and had failed to address the nation since some Presidency officials, as well as some state governors and other high profile officials and individuals reportedly tested positive to the virus.
The PDP called on President Buhari to immediately come out clean on who is in charge of the governance structure, since Malam Kyrai has been quarantined.
It said. “Our party wants President Buhari to note that, what Nigerians expect of him at this point in our history is to end his silence, be visible and take up the challenge of personally leading in governance, particularly in this fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, like other leaders across the globe”.
The PDP also counseled President Buhari to wake up and engage other world leaders, international bodies and global health sector stakeholders for solution.
It called on the corporate bodies, the organised business community, international organisations, research and medical institutions and public-spirited individuals to immediately rally with other members of the international community for solutions to check the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
