The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) berated the Federal Government for “its denials and cover-up on the whereabouts and activities of the Chinese medical experts it brought into our country last month.”
It therefore demanded an immediate apology from the Federal Government for “taking the citizens for granted in its handling of the Chinese Doctors’ affairs.”
The party, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, noted: “The conduct of the Federal Government in disclaiming the Chinese team and declaring that it cannot account for their whereabouts after it had accorded them state reception had further exposed the dishonesty, lack of transparency and inherent corruption that pervade the APC administration of which Nigerians have completely lost confidence.”
The PDP said: “It is bizarre that the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, disclaimed the Chinese team, denied involvement and knowledge of their whereabouts, whereas clarifications by the Chinese Embassy and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) indicate that the team had been in CCECC facility and had also collaborated with our health agencies.”
The party noted that the declaration by the minister of health that government could not account for the medical team it officially received, triggered public alarm and raised suspicion of clandestine designs against the nation, consequent upon which the party issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government.
The PDP noted that the APC administration would have faced the anger of Nigerians for its lack of transparency at the expiration of the ultimatum had the Chinese Embassy and CCECC not made clarification.
“With this clarification by CCECC, the PDP demands that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 should come clean on the reasons it claimed ignorance of the whereabouts of the Chinese team and apologise to Nigerians.
“This is because our party believes that the health minister’s conduct betrayed a plot by certain officials of the Federal Government to deceive Nigerians and ostensibly distract public attention from the acts of corruption being perpetrated in the fight against COVID-19 in our country.”
The PDP demanded that the Federal Government immediately declare and account for all funds, equipment, therapeutics and sundry aids it has received from international and indigenous bodies and individuals, given the exposed proclivities of its officials for the diversion of such aid.