President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)’ has violated the executive order regulating COVID-19 by taking off his mask in a public gathering.
The law, which was recently signed by the president, prescribes a six-month jail term for defaulters.
In some of the pictures that surfaced online, Buhari was seen discussing with some All Progressives Congress’ leaders at the revalidation of his APC membership in Daura on Saturday without putting on a nose mask or maintaining social distancing as stipulated by the new law.
He, however, wore the mask while signing his form.
Some of the Nigerians who reacted wondered why the president used the mask when he wanted to take pictures and later removed it.
PDP in a statement titled, ‘PDP Expresses Dismay By Buhari’s Violation of COVID-19 Law…Charges Nigerians Not to Follow Such Examples’, by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, urged Nigerians not to emulate Buhari.
The party described the president’s action as “a huge national embarrassment and gross failure of leadership”.
It noted that Buhari, who ought to lead by example, is seen publicly violating the COVID-19 regulation, which he signed just five days ago.
Part of the statement read, “It is indeed scandalous that while Nigerians are striving to obey the COVID-19 regulation, which stipulates the compulsory wearing of nose mask and physical distancing in the public, they are being confronted with reports of open violation of the law by Mr. President at the All Progressives Congress’ membership revalidation exercise in his hometown, Daura, Katsina state on Saturday.
“We ask, with this violation, does the Buhari administration and its officials still have the rectitude to enforce sanctions on any other defaulter in the absence of necessary regrets by President Buhari and his party, the APC?
“In this regard, the onus lies on President Buhari and the APC to clean up the mess by tendering an unreserved apology to Nigerians and take steps to observe necessary regrets over this violation.”
