PDP backs Senate, insists Buhari should address the nation on Covid-19

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the Buhari Presidency for allegedly insulting the Senate.

The Presidency had attacked the Nigerian Senate for calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to address the nation on his administration’s efforts against the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

But the opposition PDP on Friday, backed the call by the Senate for the president to address the nation.

The party in a statement by its national spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP asked the Buhari Presidency to immediately withdraw its response to the Senate.

It also counselled the Presidency to apologise to Nigerians and ensure it fixed an appointment for Buhari to address the nation on the coronavirus issue.

The party said it was shocking and totally unacceptable that instead of rising up to the challenge and leading in the fight, like other world leaders, “Mr President had allowed his aides to haul insults on the legislature to the extent of describing the lawful resolution of the Senate as ‘cheap politics”.

The party said the development amounted to a gross misconduct on the part of Buhari, who it added had demonstrated a clear dereliction of duty and total disregard to the lawful resolution of the legislature, in violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Having failed in his expected leadership role at a critical time like this, President Buhari should know that the call by the Senate is a direct reflection of the view of the totality of Nigerians, who, like citizens of other countries, look up to the occupier of the seat of the President, personally, for direction and reassurances at a time of heighten public apprehensions and fear.

“The Presidency’s discourteous response to the Senate is therefore a an unpardonable slap on the faces of the totality of Nigerians, whom the Senate represents, and further demonstrates the Presidency’s insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.

“Our party considers the Buhari Presidency’s response to the Senate as an absurdity and a total disdain for our democratic institutions and collective sovereignty as a people.

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“It is instructive to note that this arrogant display of insensitivity by the Buhari Presidency is symptomatic of regimes that have no regard for the people.

“Such regimes always wait to be reminded of their responsibilities and when duly reminded, they usually resort to insults, abuses and harassments,” the statement read in part.

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