Lai Mohammed to Senate: Buhari Will Address Nigerians at Appropriate Time over Coronavirus

The Federal Government has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari will address Nigerians on the Coronavirus scourge at the “appropriate” time.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said it is not yet the appropriate time for the president to address the nation.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Minister said even though he is not out to pre-empt the president but Buhari may say nothing new.

According to Mohammed: “When it is appropriate, Mr President will address the nation. But, I think what you want to hear from President Muhammadu Buhari are the kind of things we are telling you.

“This is not to preempt or second guess Mr President, I think he will do the needful,” Mr Mohammed said at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday.

The Senate’s spokesperson, Godiya Akwashiki was asked if there was any time frame for the president to act on the Senate’s resolution of Wednesday to address the nation.

In his response, the lawmaker explained that the Senate’s resolutions go through a process and “one cannot expect the president to act immediately”.

“You don’t just give information and in 24 hour you expect the president to act. If we make resolution, we have to communicate the president. It is the prerogative of the clerk to communicate the adviser of National Assembly matters of office of the president.

“I want to believe the President is studying that resolution. it is too early for us to question why the President has not addressed the nation.

“I want to believe in the next one week if he doesn’t address the nation, the leadership of the Senate will engage the Executive arm of Government because it is a serious issue,” he said.

He pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with the president.

Mr Buhari has also been criticized for not showing empathy with victims of an explosion that rocked Lagos recently.