A report was published by on online news media on 7th July that 50 lawmakers have tested positive for covid19.
The development caused some panic within the Assembly and among constituents. This is more so as the report said that the lawmakers rushed to adjourn plenary until next week since many of them were seriously ill. The news also adds that members of the upper chambers were not spared in the infections as they added up to the 50 lawmakers that tested positive.
The report has been debunked by the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs.
According to him:
“The attention of the @HouseNGR has been drawn to a publication on July 7 sensationally titled “Panic at National Assembly As Over 50 Lawmakers Allegedly Test Positive For COVID-19”. The House is therefore constrained to refute it as attached.
A press release was immediately published in the House’s website and twitter pages by the Chairman of the committee, Hon Benjamin Kalu. Kalu said that the “National Assembly and our leadership have been in the fore of the battle to reduce the impact of this pandemic on the people of Nigeria.
“At the battlefront, occasional casualties are inevitable especially when the warriors are not super human. Members of the National Assembly could fall prey to covid19 just like any other person.
“It is therefore unconscionable to attempt to weaponise this against the institution.
“We wish to state that there has not been any panic at the National Assembly… . The House is certain that the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidential Task Force remain the most credible sources of data with regard to this pandemic and should be referred to for fact verification…”
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