Coronavirus: Presidency berates Senate for asking Buhari to address Nation

The Presidency has reprimanded the Nigerian Senate, over a call for Buhari to address the Country, over the outbreak of the Coronavirus. In a statement by the Senior Special Adviser on Media to the President, Garba Shehu, the Presidency pointed out Government measures to contain the outbreak to include restrictions of travel from 13 countries, campaigns promoting hygiene measures, reduction of the pump price of fuel and the Presidential Coordination Committee chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

In a statement, the Presidency called for National Unity, to aid the fight against the coronavirus. “We also plead with Nigerians not to see this most peculiar of times as one to be politicised or seen as an opportunity to regurgitate grudges against the government or the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). North, South, East, and West – all Nigerians must unite to fight this plague, irrespective of religious or ideological affiliation,” the statement partly read.

While confronting the Senators who recently demanded an address by Buhari, Garba said “populist advocacies; such as the one accusing the President of “complacency” simply because he has not made a television address by ranking members of our respected parliament are cheap and sensational. These are not the times for populism and cheap politics.”