*Urges Nigerians to be patient with President on lockdown measures
From John Oghojafor (The New Diplomat’s South South Bureau Chief)
Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s order to relax the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown in phases starting from May 4, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has called on Nigerians to co-operate with the President in his plan aimed at containing the spread of the virus while relying on advice of experts in the relevant field of science-the NCDC .
Fielding questions from reporters shortly after the Senate adjourned plenary indefinitely on Tuesday April 28, the Deputy President of Senate who applauded the actions of President Buhari for the lockdown of the FCT, Lagos and Ogun States, and some other measures undertaken by the President since the outbreak of the virus in the country said the measures are laudable.
Omo-Agege who represents Delta Central Senatorial Zone at the Upper legislative Chambers noted that the country has gained a lot in terms of the measures so far taken by the President, expressing fears that the clamour for a full relaxation of the lockdown might spike the spread of the virus and the loss of the gains so far realized in the past one month.
He said: “Mr. President has provided a very proactive and stable leadership from the very beginning of this pandemic. But I also know that he is under serious pressure to reopen quickly. And those who are mounting those pressures are only thinking about the economy and money.”
He added: “But for some of us, just as we are interested in a viable and economy that is bouyant, we are also frankly more interested in the welfare and the safety of our people. If you have an economy that is booming and your people are dying, who is going to enjoy that economy?”
Senator Omo-Agege however expressed fear that, going into memory lane, this is not the first time the country is experiencing a pandemic that occasioned a lockdown, adding that during the 1918 Spanish Flu which killed millions across the globe, the Nigerian regional govermrnt imposed a lockdown but caving in to public pressure, relaxed the lockdown, which led to a spike on the spread of the flu virus and the death of many Nigerians.
He therefore appealed to Nigerians to bear with the President as he takes decisions based on scientific advice. He said: “And my fear again is borne out of history. This is not the first time we are having a pandemic of this magnitude. We had it in 1918, that is the Spanish flu, just a couple of years after the amalgamation of northern and southern Nigeria. And if you go into history, you will find that we lost a lot of people.
“Now, the same way people are agitating that we should reopen the economy now, that was the same way, they agitated at that time. And the moment the government at the time yielded, we now saw a spike in more infections. There was some good containment. But because of some economic hawks who started breathing down on the government it reopened. But immediately it reopened the economy, there was a spike in the rate of infections. And that is my fear.”
He commended President Buhari “for the way and manner has gone about it which is very good, locking down the epicenter of Abuja, Lagos and the surrounding Ogun State.” According to him, he would have preferred a total lockdown of the country, noting that some state governors took a cue from the President’s action to lock down their states.
Omo-Agege recalled that the issue of agitation for a full relaxation of the lockdown was not limited to Nigeria alone, noting that the issue has also become a subject of debate between the U.S Republicans who favour reopening of the economy in view of Donald Trump’s re-election bid in September and the Democrats who are more concerned about the welfare of the people. He also drew attention to the happenings in Japan where the relaxation of the lockdown resulted in a spike, and the government had to order an extension for another three weeks.
Senator Omo-Agege advised that Nigerians should co-operate with President Buhari and allow him rely on the advice of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, adding that they know better than us. “My advice would be that they should leave Mr. President alone. Let Mr. President rely solely and exclusively on the advice of the NCDC, the science people. They know better than us”, he said, expressing worries that the reopening of the economy on May 4 as announced by the President should not result in another spike.
He advised Nigerians to obey the rules of social distancing and other measures as the reopening takes effect, stressing that public servants whose work hours is between 8am and 4pm could split the work hours into two shifts such that some would work between 8 to 12 noon while another shift commences from 12 to 4pm.
