COVID-19: Come out and address Nigerians, stop using proxy — PDP dares Buhari

PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan 

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to come out and address Nigerians on the COVID-19 lockdown to end the confusion in the polity caused by the action of the SGF.

The party noted that the assumption of Presidential powers by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, to announce an extension of lockdown and curfew in Nigeria in relation to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is unconstitutional.


The party in a statement on Monday night by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, pointed out that there is nowhere in our laws that the powers to broadcast Presidential executive orders to declare curfew and restriction of movements is vested in the Office of the SGF.

The statement read, "the action of the SGF has brought serious confusion in the polity regarding the legality or otherwise of the directives contained in the SGF's announcement.




"Such powers are vested in the person and office of Mr. President and not exercisable by proxy, directly or indirectly; which makes the action of the SGF a recipe for serious constitutional crisis in our country.

"Our nation is a state governed by dictates of the law, particularly in the exercise of powers vested in statutory offices, especially that of the President.



"The PDP holds that the announcement by the SGF is, therefore, another manifestation of abuse of our statutory offices arising from the abdication of responsibilities by President Buhari since the last five years, which had also become more pronounced in this fight against COVID-19.

"Our party, therefore, invites Mr. President to end the confusion in the polity, arising from the action of the SGF, by immediately addressing Nigerians in his official capacity to fulfill the demands of our laws in respect of the necessary protocols on restrictions and other management procedures in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in our country.