Onyedi Gabriel, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Deputy Governor Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, at the weekend described persons asking Governor Nyesom Wike to make her the leader of COVID-19 team in the state as mischief makers.
Banigo dissociated herself from such calls, saying they were unnecessary because the governor had shown capacity and leadership in protecting the lives of Rivers people and fighting the spread of the pandemic.
The deputy governor in a statement signed by her Head of Press Unit, Owupele Benebo, said she remained a part of the governor’s team in the ongoing battle against the spread of the virus.
The statement said, “The Deputy Governor expresses regret that despite the concerted efforts by Governor Wike to protect the Rivers People and stem the spread of COVID-19, some faceless enemies of the state sponsor e-rats to publish junk in the social media, what an absurd way to play politics?
“The Deputy Governor of Rivers State is a part and parcel of the governor’s team in this fight against the Killer virus and she is contributing her quota, she must not head the team. There is no law that says she should head the team, so why the fuss?
“Governor Wike is the leader and he has demonstrated great capacity and leadership in the country, not only in the quest to defeat Covid-19 but in providing democratic dividends to the Rivers People and beyond.
“Governor Wike was the first to close his boarders even before the Federal Government thought of it, decontamination of public places is on-going, he has put strict restriction on social gathering, imposed lockdown, curfews, provided all the necessary logistics for health professionals to do their jobs efficiently, intensified public enlightenment campaigns, among others.”
She said the mischief makers and their political sponsors failed to realise that COVID-19 is not just a medical or public health issue, but also a security as well as a socio -economic and political issue.
She added, “So, flaunting the resume’ of Dr. Banigo as a Public Health Physician and urging Governor Wike to make her head the team is an exercise in futility.
“We are facing a novel corona virus; Covid 19 pandemic which no one knows enough about. It is a war and we must all be on board to fight it. This is not the time for distractions.
“Please obey all the protocols as elucidated by NCDC and the Rivers State Government which includes the correct wearing of face masks, regular washing of hands with soap and running water as well as the use of alcohol based hand sanitizers, improve personal hygiene, avoiding crowded environment and stop stigmatization of people with the virus.”