The Presidency, on Monday, said the President,Muhammadu Buhari, did not violate COVID-19 protocols in Daura, Katsina
State over the weekend.
Online photos had shown Buhari discussing with some All
Progressives Congress governors at the revalidation of his APC membership in
Daura on Saturday without putting on a mask or maintaining social distancing as
stipulated by the newly signed Coronavirus Disease Health Protection
Regulations (2021).
The Peoples Democratic Party and Nigerians on social media
had slammed the President for the contravention of the regulations which made
the use of face masks in public places mandatory among other measures to
curtail the spread of COVID-19.
The regulations also stipulate a fine or six months imprisonment or both for violators.
Speaking on Monday, the Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said his principal had his mask
on during the exercise but only removed it when he spoke to the microphone.
This is at variance with health advice by the Presidential Task Force on
COVID-19 that Nigerians should have their mouths covered with masks during
speeches to keep off respiratory droplets through which the virus can be
transmitted.
But Shehu, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily
programme said, “People are missing the point. The
President had his face mask on through that engagement. He had it off when he
was speaking into the microphone. It is just a childish antic by PDP.”
The President has also been criticised for mobilising no
fewer than nine governors to accompany him to Daura despite the government’s social
distancing health advice.
The presidential spokesman, however, said there was nothing
wrong with the number of governors and APC chieftain in the delegation.
“This is to drive the spirit of the re-registration and the
revalidation of membership. We must convey to the nation that we the party is
behind the process and everyone is involved.
“The criticism is
coming from parties that are not able to organise and mobilise, we feel sorry
for them,” Shehu said.
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