‘We don’t fiddle with phones here’ — how rep tackled PTF members at plenary

Yusuf Gagdi, a member of the house of representatives, took a jab at some members of the presidential task force on COVID-19 on Tuesday, accusing them of fiddling with their phones at plenary.

Gagdi, who represents Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke constituency of Plateau state, told the PTF team that “we do not press phones here.”

He had stood to ask the task force questions about the country’s response to COVID-19 pandemic, but asked his colleagues to first permit me to “make an important point.”

“The members of PTF should listen, just like the chairman of the committee (who is) jotting with pen and paper and not touching their phones,” he said,

“We don’t touch phones here, even in the chamber.”

The PTF, led by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation and its chairman, was summoned to brief the lawmakers about the unusual deaths and Nigeria’s management of the pandemic.

Among the members who attended the plenary include Sani Aliyu, the PTF national coordinator; Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Some ministers were also present: Osagie Ehanire (health), Lai Mohammed (information and culture), Hadi Sirika (aviation), Geoffrey Onyeama (foreign affairs).