TRACKING______Following the mass deaths in Kano state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded an immediate investigation into the situation.
The state earlier announced that no fewer than 640 citizens had reportedly died under mysterious circumstances in the last one week.
Nigeria’s biggest opposition party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan, also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to visit the state as a matter of urgency.
He said the party’s call is predicated on conflicting reports emanating from Kano State on the cause of the sudden deaths particularly at this time that our nation is battling with the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
The PDP lamented President Buhari’s failure to take any concrete step on the frightening development, “but he is, as usual, waiting to be prodded to stand up to the demand of the office and proceed to Kano state to identify with the people, find a solution and contain the ugly situation.
“The party describes as lamentable that President Muhammadu Buhari, who promised to lead from the front, and who recently took up the toga of ECOWAS COVID-19 Response Champion, had rather receded into the safety of Aso Villa and failed to promptly activate any concrete and visible action to investigate and arrest the situation in Kano, where Nigerians are dying in their hundreds.”
The PDP described the situation as another manifestation of leadership failure and insensitivity of the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to the plight of Nigerians at critical moments.
“Our party holds that the situation in Kano demands an immediate Presidential visit and investigation at a very high level. Those dying in Kano are Nigerians and must not be abandoned. The development deserves utmost Presidential attention to avoid further escalation.”
Blaming the Kano state Governor, the party stated that it is evident that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his APC-led administration in Kano State are “totally incompetent and have become overwhelmed after failing to take appropriate measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus or whatever medical situation that has taken over the state.
“When Ganduje, who is being dogged by allegations of corruption, was expected to ensure compliance to preventive measures, he rather chose to abandon governance and spent executive time pursuing controversial extraneous issues that have no direct benefits on the lives of the people.
“It is even more ludicrous that Governor Ganduje chose to politicize the health issues in his state by resorting to unnecessary denials and pecuniary concerns.
“Such anti-people approach to governance is always symptomatic of leadership that did not emanate from the mandate of the people.
“Furthermore, it is left for Governor Ganduje to explain why he failed to contain his daughter, Dr. Amina Umar Ganduje, whose reported overbearing attitude in the Kano state COVID-19 task force allegedly contributed to the crippling of the activities of those charged with taking preventive measures,” the statement read.
