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The All Progressives Congress(APC) in Oyo State, on Monday asked Governor Seyi Makinde to lockdown the state so as to curb the spread of coronavirus among the residents.
In a statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Dr. AbdulAzeez Olatunde, APC noted that lockdown is the best because contact tracing would be easier once mobility is curtailed, adding that “with the possibility of virulence because of the Mapo rally, with that number of 5,000, contact tracing would be difficult.”
Olatunde berated Makinde for allowing the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to hold a rally amid the coronavirus outbreak, adding that the rally might have led to many residents of the state being infected.
“Recall that at the PDP needless and shameless rally of Wednesday of March 18, 2020 @ Mapo Hill, Ibadan, His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde boldly told about 5,000 attendees that coronavirus cannot get to Oyo state.
“However, it was not only confirmed that an infected COVID-19 person had been living in Ibadan since March 3rd but Infact the latest information from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) claimed that COVID-19 infected patients has risen to seven (7) as at Saturday 28th March 2020 in Oyo State.
“So who is fooling who between Governor Seyi Makinde and APC that felt the timing of the rally was ill-timed,” Olatunde said.
He described as most alarming the “arrogant manner of negligence with which Governor Seyi Makinde had been handling this COVID-19 war, considering that our past appeal has been falling on the deaf ears of the governor.”
Olatunde stated that if fumigation drones could be secured from some of the research institutes like IITA, CRIN and FRIN, the lockdown period may not exceed 7 days, adding that manual fumigation machines would do the magic but with extended quarantine days.
He said: “We believe that what the vulnerable ones in Oyo State need for sustainance could be met half way, at least, by the government, with government procuring staple needs that could last them for the period of their quarantine restriction.”
He added: “The excuse of ‘No Money’ by the government would not be tenable considering that the government just decided wrongly to roll out its intention to fix some roads at this time of global pandemic, because how soon a state exit the COVID-19 pandemic is directly proportional to its economic recovery and its possible attraction of investment and investors.
“What is even frightful about total lockdown ? Osun, Ogun and Kwara, all our neighbouring states have totally lockdown.
“Governor Seyi Makinde should wake up from his vain glory of being “one man opposition that was giving the ruling party headache”. He is now in government and should brace up to the challenges of hovernance like this COVID-19 pandemic.
“Of course, it was Makinde who said “it is irresponsible for a government to construct four-lane roads in the city and do nothing about the roads which farmers will ply to bring their produce to the cities. This is grandstanding and abuse of power.”
“Now, Is it ideal for a government that is facing rampaging pandemic and claims lack of money to keep the vulnerables of the state at home for two weeks, to prioritize road projects above human lives? Is that not grandstanding and abuse of power? It’s like a musician singing a funeral dirge at a wedding ceremony or vice versa.”
The party further stated that there is no big deal in setting up a committee to interface with corporate communities that have one or two business concerns in Oyo State to turn in their widows mite now that the state needs them rather than cosmetic Christmas decorations of streets that add no value to the health and lives of the residents of the state.