The Peoples Democratic Party [PDP]on Sunday said that the address of the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari’s on the COVID-19 pandemic failed to address the salient demands of the impact of the scourge on the nation.

The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Olosgondiya, also said that outside the social distancing and isolation, which, he said Nigerians had already imposed on themselves, Buhari had no new solutions to offer the nation.

He said,

“The PDP regrets that the address did not touch on the real necessities of majority of Nigerians who reside in the states where President Buhari had ordered a lockdown.

“It is unfortunate that Mr. President failed to respond to demands on hope for medications, direct social palliatives, cut in taxes as well as reduction in the pump price of fuel even with the cut in the price of petroleum and crude oil in the international market.

“Our party notes as saddening that even in areas where Mr. President announced an ambitious intervention, such remained largely cosmetic as there are no clear palliative content but moratoriums on loans with no clear data for implementation.”

He said that Buhari should be reminded that already, the COVID-19 had affected the performance of those loans. He added that granting them moratoriums is therefore of no consequence to the capital and interest on them.

According to him, it is rather unfortunate that Nigerians had to wait this long for an address that, he said, came out empty and failed to respond to anxieties.

He stated that Nigerians expected Buhari to articulate an across-the-board and far-reaching strategy that would have captured the need of each state of the federation as they were today, instead of, according to him, a parochial approach to national anxiety.

Ologbondiyan said,

“Buhari should, therefore, go back, listen to the nation, retool his policy framework and implementation strategy to properly address the fears as well as the needs of Nigerians, including health safety measures and the real remedies that meet the anxieties of our nation at this critical time.”

Meanwhile, the Coalition of the United Political Parties said it is in support of Buhari’s decision to lock down Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States for an initial period of 14 days as the government’s move to stop the spread of the dreaded coronavirus.

The CUPP spokesman, Mr. Imo Ugochinyere, said CUPP is of the view that the order will go a long way in salvaging the health crisis which the virus has thrown the nation into.

He also hailed the decision of the Federal Government to suspend loan repayments by small businesses, describing it as laudable.

Ugochinyere said,

“The CUPP also describes the decision to convert public infrastructures like stadiums etc to isolation centres as a welcome development.

“Although the President’s address to the nation was late in coming, we believe very strongly that it is better late than never. We hail state governors for being proactive in complementing opposition’s advisory for inter/intrastate lockdown.”

He urged Nigerians residing in the affected areas to use the 14 days of the lockdown to report suspected cases of coronavirus infections to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control promptly.

He also advised them to continue to observe the hygiene measures already highlighted which include social distancing, regular washing of hands with soap and running water, regular use of alcohol-based sanitizers among others.

He said Nigerians should remain united and resolute at this period, adding that this is the only way to tackle and win the war against the virus together.