The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday tasked Nigerians to hold President Muhammadu Buhari responsible should there be an upsurge in the rate of COVID-19 infection and death in the land following the Wednesday’s arrival of a medical team from China.
The party in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, expressed worry that “President Buhari ignored the protests by Nigerians and professional bodies including the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, and allowed the importation of the Chinese doctors despite warnings that bringing in doctors from the hotbed of the plague will expose our citizens to further risks. It noted that Nigerians across the board “have continued to question the status, identity and interest of the Chinese doctors as well as the safety of kits and equipment from China, particularly following scary reports of escalation of the scourge in certain countries reportedly after the arrival of Chinese medical personnel in those countries.” The statement further read: “Our party calls on the entire world to hold President Buhari responsible should there be any sudden upsurge in COVID-19 infection and deaths in our country, now that the Chinese doctors have been brought in despite protests by Nigerians.
“Our doctors and nurses have been on top of the situation with records of recoveries and fewer casualties, thus raising questions about the real intentions of bringing in doctors from China. “The situation is even more distressing as the Presidential Task Force, PTF, on COVID-19 had been making frantic effort to exonerate itself from the decision to bring in the Chinese doctors into our country. “The PDP wants President Buhari to note that Nigerians already know the pace, intensity and trajectory of COVID-19 statistics at the time the federal government, which he leads, gave passage to these Chinese doctors. “Nigerians are aware that since the index case was reported till date, our nation’s COVID-19 data stands at 254 confirmed cases, out of which 44 have been successfully treated by our doctors with 6 deaths, which reportedly had other underlining ailments.” The party however however cautioned Nigerians to be extra vigilant even as it demanded that the Presidential Task Force “outlines the states and local governments where the Chinese doctors are expected to operate, to enable Nigerians monitor their activities as well as the aftermath of such activities.”
