President Muhammadu Buhari has seemingly coaxed Governors of the 36 states to submit to the domination of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) in the fight against coronavirus in the country. The president in an online meeting with governors emphasized that they should work closely with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, to engender better harmony in the daunting task of checking the pandemic. However, the PTF has appeared to be entrenching its domination in the fight against coronavirus, making rules for states and directing the compliance if states. More so, while preponderant interventions are highly active in several states, the PTF holds back on federal funds, beside that which the president approved for Lagos, assuming responsibilities of moving into states to create test units.
Most states have clearly become skeptical of the PTF and are reluctantly showing minimal cooperation or unwillingness to align.
However, President Buhari during the online meeting with the Governors’ Forum, said that the PTF had briefed him on next steps in the national response to the pandemic, adding: “and I have directed that they work very closely with the Governors.”
President Buhari said the pandemic was “beyond technology, power, and resources,” noting that countries that had all those, were recording highest casualties round the world.
“We have to be very careful. We need to continue to educate and persuade the people to accept the reality of the situation, and do all that is necessary to stay safe,” the President said.
The meeting also discussed economic and security issues, among others, with the Governors commending the President on the “leadership and direction” he has given the country in combating COVID-19.