Lawyers, Labour leaders react to Buhari’s speech

Some legal practitioners on Tuesday applauded the ban on interstate travelling in the country by President Muhammadu Buhari as a step towards curtailing the spread of the dreaded coronavirus.

A lawyer, Okpanachi Okala told Nigerian Tribune that, the country is witnessing a global pandemic crisis and is battling to cope with reducing the spread of coronavirus.

He said, “Going by the presidential speech, extending the lockdown by another week in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory is in fact, a step in the right direction given the devastative nature of the virus.”

According to the lawyer, “Chapter 4 of the Constitution deals with the inherent fundamental human rights of the citizens, Section 35 to be precise.

“Also, Section 305 confers on the President the powers to declare state of emergency in the country or any part of the country in order to maintain order, protect life and properties in crisis situations.”

He said, the present health challenge is a health war situation and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must take all necessary step to carry out this constitutional role as allowed by the constitution.

“When a situation poses itself that requires the President to exercise his powers under Section 305 of the constitution, certain aspect of chapter iv of the constitution is suspended to some extent.

“In view of the above, it is okay to say that the President was constitutionally right in his action to declare the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and FCT and recently, Kano,” he maintained.

Another lawyer, Sule Ameh said that as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Buhari has the constitutional power to stop interstate movement to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus which has humbled many nations of the world.

Ameh said the President’s extension of the lockdown till Monday was also in good order, adding that Nigerians are worried with the increase in the number of reported cases of corona virus cases across the country.

He expressed worry over the deaths in Kano State and that it was good that the President declared a total lockdown in the state for two weeks with immediate effect.

“The President is constitutionally empowered to take decisions that would be of benefit to every Nigerian and in this case, it was to stop the spread of the COVID -19 pandemic,” he stated.

Buhari had, on March 30, ordered lockdown for an initial period of 14 days in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and, Ogun states, followed by two-week extension, which ended at 11.59 pm on Monday.

However, the President, in a televised address on Monday, approved a “phased and gradual easing” of the lockdown in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun states.

He, however, extended the lockdown until May 4, when the nationwide curfew would take effect, saying, “In line with the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the various Federal Government committees that had reviewed socio-economic matters and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I have approved a phased and gradual easing of lockdown measures in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun states effective from Monday, May 4, 2020.

However, one unionist sees Buhari’s speech in a different light.

The National President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Nurse Abdurafiu Adeniji, has described President Muhamadu Buhari decision as the most feasible option available but definitely not the best option.

Adeniji said the best option available for the country to get the best result is to still embark on a complete lockdown until there is no case of community transmission.

Speaking in an interview with Nigerian Tribune, the NANNM President said there must still be a total lockdown, adding that it would be better if Nigerians could be patient enough to stay at home until there was no case of community transmission.

Nurse Adeniji said: “We are all in it together, and there is nothing we can use to insulate ourselves or to exorcise ourselves from what is happening in Nigeria.

“As of now, that is the most feasible option, otherwise, it may not be the best option. If Nigerians could be patient enough to stay at home until there is no case of community transition, it would have been better.

“We are supposed to be on complete lockdown. If I have my way and the opportunity to advise Mr President, I will say that there must still be a total lockdown.”

In his reaction, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who was the immediate past President of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the measure put in place after President Buhari’s speech was what the congress and labour have been clamouring for.

The NLC President, who is an epidemiologist by profession, said: “This is what labour has canvassed for. Everything we have asked for is gradual opening up, that lockdown cannot be perpetual.

“And also, lockdown cannot be abruptly opened up. Clearly speaking, it has met the observation of labour and some of the issues we have raised that we must find a balance between continuous lockdown and continue to meet the needs and livelihoods of many Nigerians. It is in tandem with what is happening globally.”

He restated the commitment of the union to continually interface with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to ensure the global pandemic is addressed.

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