‘Buhari won’t address the nation today’ — Femi Adesina counters PTF coordinator

May 18, 2020 2:02 pm

Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, says President Muhammadu Buhari will not address the nation on COVID-19 on Monday.

Writing via his Twitter handle, Adesina said any update on the COVID-19 response will be given by the presidential task force (PTF).

Sani Aliyu, the national coordinator of the task force, had during a Channels TV programme, said Buhari would address Nigerians on COVID-19 following the end of the first phase of the lockdown measures.

He was speaking after the task force presented a situation report on the disease to the president.

Adesina, however, said no presidential broadcast was planned.

He wrote: “No presidential broadcast on COVID-19 updates today.

“None was planned. Rather, the Presidential Task Force will during its usual media briefings bring the nation up to speed on the next steps.”

No presidential broadcast on COVID-19 updates today. None was planned. Rather, the Presidential Task Force will during its usual media briefings bring the nation up to speed on the next steps.

— Femi Adesina (@FemAdesina) May 18, 2020

Buhari had announced a gradual easing of the lockdown in the federal capital territory (FCT), Ogun and Lagos states to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

But the task force led by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation, has often lamented that Nigerians are not abiding by the guidelines, including social distancing and the use of face masks.

Watch Aliyu on Channels TV below.