1st February, 2021
The Presidency, on Monday, defended President Muhammadu Buhari for taking off his mask in public, saying he did not violate COVID-19 protocols in Daura, Katsina State.
Photos had circulated online showing Buhari discussing with some All Progressives Congress governors without wearing a face mask during the revalidation of his APC membership in Daura on Saturday.
The President not wearing a mask and violating social distancing as stipulated by the newly signed Coronavirus Disease Health Protection Regulations (2021), was an indication that he violated the law he signed.
The Peoples Democratic Party and Nigerians on social media slammed the President for violating the law which attracts a punishment of a fine or six months imprisonment.
However, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said his principal had his mask on during the exercise but only removed it when he spoke to the microphone.
“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,” Shehu said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
Shehu in response to why the president had to be accompanied to Daura by nine APC governors for his party’s registration exercise, said there was nothing wrong with the President having the governors accompany him despite the government’s social distancing health advice.
“This is to drive the spirit of the re-registration and the revalidation of membership. We must convey to the nation that we the party are behind the process and everyone is involved.
“The criticism is coming from parties that are not able to organize and mobilize, we feel sorry for them,” Shehu said.