COVID-19: Why Buhari didn't use face mask after criminalising violation in new law
- The presidency has given a defence as to why President Buhari didn't use a facemask while addressing APC members in Katsina recently
- Garba Shehu said the president removed the facemask just to be audible while speaking
- The PDP had claimed that the president, by that act, violated the Coronavirus Disease Health Protection Regulations (2021)
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The presidency has come under serious attack over President Muhammadu Buhari's non-use of face mask in Daura, Katsina state recently.
There were claims from opposition parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that the president violated the newly-signed Coronavirus Disease Health Protection Regulations (2021) while he was with some politicians in the state, Punch reports.
President Buhari was accused of this as he spoke to an audience before he revalidated his All Progressives Congress (APC) membership.
Source: Facebook
However, defending the president, Garba Shehu, said the Nigerian leader only removed the face mask when he was about to speak into the microphone.
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The president's spokesman said:
“People are missing the point. The President had his face mask on through that engagement. He had it off when he was speaking into the microphone. It is just a child antic by PDP.”
Earlier, President Buhari on Wednesday, January 27, signed the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations 2021 in Abuja.
Legit.ng gathered that this was made known in a tweet by the federal ministry of information and culture via its official Twitter handle @FMICNigeria.
The new law makes the use of face masks in public places compulsory and imposes a fine or six-month jail term for anyone convicted for disobeying any COVID-19 guideline.
The regulation is in line with the exercising of the powers conferred on Buhari by Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010.
Though most of the regulations are already in place, the legal instrument provides a legal backing for defaulters to be prosecuted.
The new law states that any offence under the regulations is punishable by a fine or a term of six months imprisonment or both in accordance with Section 5 of the Quarantine Act.
Source: Legit.ng
