COVID-19 Lockdown: PDP Accuses Buhari Of Abdicating Responsibility, Says SGF Cannot Give Presidential Orders

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to immediately address Nigerians in his official capacity.

The PDP was reacting to the announcement made by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, on Monday on the extension of the gradual easing of lockdown in relation to the fight against Coronavirus.

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The party in a statement issued by its Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said there was nowhere in the country’s laws where the powers to broadcast Presidential executive orders to declare curfew and restriction of movements vested in the Office of the SGF.

According to the statement, “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.”

The statement further noted the action of the SGF is a recipe for a constitutional crisis in the country, adding that 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.

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“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,” it concluded.

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