Nigeria’s political scene, already in overdrive over the 2023 general election, though most of the current elected leaders are yet to mark their first year in office, has effectively been shut down as cases of coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19, increase in the country.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, said as at 23rd of March, there are 40 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Though most of the cases, as at Tuesday morning, are in Lagos and Abuja, most states across the country are already implementing measures to stop the virus from spreading. These include ban on public gatherings, closure of offices and asking workers to stay at home.
The Federal Government on Monday asked most of the workers to stay at home while all the international airports in the country have been shut to the international traffic. Also, the Federal Government has postponed indefinitely the weekly meeting of the cabinet, otherwise known as the Federal Executive Council meeting.
The country is virtually heading for a shutdown and the case is not different in the political scene.
The national electoral management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the two Nigeria major political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday announced shutdown of all of their activities in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that it has suspended all regular and non-essential activities in its headquarters and offices nationwide for 14 days, starting from today, Tuesday, March 24.
Mr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner, and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in a statement said the commission has suspended its regular quarterly meetings with stakeholders and monitoring of conventions, congresses, conferences or meetings of political parties until further notice.
“In line with the advisory on social distancing from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Commission has taken the following measures to protect its staff, visitors and the general public.
“Effective from Tuesday, March 24, all regular and non-essential activities will be suspended in its headquarters and offices nationwide for 14 days in the first instance.
“The regular quarterly meetings with Stakeholders, namely: political parties, civil society organisations, the media, security agencies and all other meetings, have been suspended until such a time when normalcy returns.
“In addition, the Commission will no longer monitor the conventions, congresses, conferences or meetings of political parties until further notice,” he said.
“The health and wellbeing of all our staff, officials and the general public are of paramount importance to us.
The Commission however said it will continue to meet via non-physical contact channels while communication between the Commission and its stakeholders will remain open.
But INEC said the new measures taken do not affect the activities for Edo and Ondo Governorship elections scheduled for Sept. 19 and Oct. 10 respectively.
The Commission had earlier postponed the conduct of four senatorial by-elections indefinitely as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. The by-election, which included Bayelsa Central and Bayelsa West Senatorial Districts, Imo North Senatorial District and Plateau South Senatorial District, were postponed given the health emergency occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic.
“This is in line with Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), which empowers the commission to postpone any election in the event of any emergency or natural disaster. The Commission is compelled to take this step in recognition of the fact that all major activities in the electoral process involve large gathering of people,” Okoye said while adding that the timetable and schedule of activities for the postponed by-elections would be issued as soon as the Coronavirus pandemic was contained.
Also, the APC has announced the closure of its National Secretariat in Abuja for two weeks as part of moves to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
The party said the move was in line with the government’s directive that people should stay away from large gatherings.
APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, told workers at APC Secretariat on Monday that they should stay back in their homes in order to reduce the risk of being infected.
“This is just a preventive measure the party has taken by closing down the secretariat for about two weeks so we can manage the situation at hand but if it persists, we will have to extent the holiday because we need to remain alive to be able to serve the country as a whole and members of the party.”
In the same vein, the main opposition PDP on Monday suspended all activities bordering on congresses, rallies and other large gathering of members of the party across the federation.
The party, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, on Monday in Abuja said the decision was sequel to the earlier decision of the party to shutdown activities at its secretariats and offices across the country.
Ologbondiyan said the decision had become imperative in respect to the need for continuous social distancing and other health safety measures against the spread of COVID-19 in our country.
“The PDP enjoins the Federal Government to continue to review situations as they concern the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and take measures, even if stringent, to safeguard lives.”
The party had earlier directed a partial shutdown and skeletal activities at the party’s National Secretariat, Abuja from Wednesday, March 25.
