APC, PDP Bicker Over Mysterious Deaths In Kano

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have engaged in a war of words over the mysterious deaths recorded in Kano State in the midst of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country.
Kano, which is Nigeria’s most populous state, has witnessed a surge in the number of deaths, with the state’s Deputy Task Force Coordinator on COVID-19 confirming in an interview on Channels Television last week that over 600 persons died in the state in a week alone.
The state also lost 12 prominent persons on Saturday.
Reacting to the reports, the PDP, in a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary, on Sunday, called for an urgent investigation into the mass deaths.
The major opposition party said it was disturbed by the alleged silence of the Presidency and President Muhammadu Buhari on the unfolding situation in the state, adding that a presidential visit to the state is important at this time.
“The PDP notes with dismay that the Buhari Presidency had failed to take any concrete step on this frightening development, but is, as usual, waiting to be prodded to stand up to the demand of the office and proceed to Kano state to identity with the people, find solution and contain the ugly situation.
“The party describes as lamentable that President 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 yet 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 the very high level. Those dying in Kano are Nigerians and must not be abandoned. The development deserves an utmost Presidential attention to avoid further escalation,” the statement read.
The PDP also berated Abdullahi Ganduje, Governor of Kano State, for his alleged inaction in setting up the relevant health facilities and equipment for the state.
But the APC, in a counter-reaction issued by Lanre Issa Onilu, its National Publicity Secretary, on Sunday, said the PDP attempted to rubbish the commendable efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in tackling the scourge of COVID-19 pandemic currently ravaging the world.
According to the ruling party, the PD had the opportunity to put aside partisan politics and contribute its quota in fighting an unseen enemy but chose to spew baseless and irresponsible allegations against President Buhari and Governor Ganduje.
‘’The latest baseless accusation by the PDP that the APC-led government has not lived up to its responsibility of protecting the people of Kano State against the backdrop of some deaths recorded in the state is a case in point. This allegation is not only baseless, but very irresponsible. It is false in its entirety. Shockingly, while all well-meaning organisations, home and abroad, and individuals are putting in positive shifts to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has rather chosen to dance on the graves of the unfortunate Nigerians that have been killed by the disease.
‘’PDP has this rare opportunity to stand up to be counted by making positive contributions to end the scourge, but this opposition party thinks this is the time to politicise Coronavirus cases and deaths, particularly in Kano State.
‘’We invite the PDP to borrow a leaf from the patriotic efforts being made by the cross-party platform, the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, who has kept politics aside and joined the President Buhari government in jointly, proactively and frontally combating the pandemic which is currently a threat to our very existence.
“The PDP must understand that only the living can play politics,” the statement read.