The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has called on Governor Seyi Makinde to declare a total lockdown of the state for about 14 days to prevent a rapid spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement by its Director of Publicity Dr Azeez Adeduntan on Monday, the party said that the rising number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state calls for a total lockdown to contain further spread.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan Prof. Jesse Otegbayo and two other professors at the hospital tested positive to the virus on Sunday.
The APC emphasized that treating the pandemic with kid-glove will only worsen the situation and put the lives of millions of residents of the state at great risk. It pointed out that while states that were yet to have confirmed cases have taken serious measures to prevent Coronavirus spread to their domains, Makinde, whose state already had confirmed cases, was still foot-dragging on totally locking down the state.
The APC specifically recalled that Makinde announced to crowds at the Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) unification rally held in Ibadan, the state capital on March 18 that the virus could not spread to Oyo State though infected people were already in the state. It added that the rapid spread of the virus may not be unconnected with the said rally.
APC said: “It should be recollected that at the PDP needless and shameless rally of Wednesday of 18th March 2020 at Mapo Hill, Ibadan, His Excellency, Gov Seyi Makinde boldly told about 5,000 attendees that corona virus cannot get to Oyo State.
“However, it was not only confirmed that an infected COVID-19 person had been living in Ibadan since March 3rd but In fact the latest information from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) claimed that COVID-19 infected patients has risen to seven as at Saturday 28th March 2020 in Oyo State.
So who is fooling who between Gov Seyi Makinde and APC that felt the timing of the Wednesday 18th March rally was ill-timed?
Most alarming is the arrogant manner of negligence with which Gov Seyi Makinde had been handling this COVID-19 war, considering that our past appeal has been falling on the deaf ears of Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde.”
The governor just tested positive to the virus.
The APC justified its call for lockdown by stressing that it will make contact tracing easier and enable government fumigate public places.
It cited Osun and Kwara and states that have locked down as a serious effort at containing the virus.

By Bisi Oladele