Presidency’s response to Senate an absurdity, PDP declares

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the Presidency for criticising the Senate for calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to personally address the nation on the fight against the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

The party said it was shocking and totally unacceptable that instead of rising up to the challenge and leading in the fight like other world leaders, “the President allowed his aides to haul insults on the legislature to the extent of describing the lawful resolution of the Senate as cheap politics.”

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “This development amounted to a gross misconduct on the part of Mr. President, who had demonstrated a clear dereliction of duty and total disregard to the lawful resolution of the legislature in violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Having failed in his expected leadership role at a critical time like this, President Buhari should know that the call by the Senate is a direct reflection of the view of the totality of Nigerians, who like citizens of other countries, look up to the occupier of the seat of the President, personally, for direction and reassurances at a time of heightened public apprehensions and fear.”
 
According to the PDP, “the Presidency’s discourteous response to the Senate is therefore an unpardonable slap on the faces of the totality of Nigerians, whom the Senate represents and further demonstrates the Presidency’s insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.”

It described the Presidency’s response to the Senate as an absurdity and a total disdain for our democratic institutions and collective sovereignty as a people.

“It is instructive to note that this arrogant display of insensitivity by the Buhari Presidency is symptomatic of regimes that have no regard for the people”.