—Calls South-South governors cowards in sharing of palliative & relief fund

A Niger Delta activist and Coordinator of Ijaw Monitoring Group, Comrade Joseph Evah, has told President Muhammadu Buhari not to be intimidated by the World Health Organisation in his bid to adopt Madagascar’s herbal drug for the treatment of COVID-19 in the country.

In a chat with SaharaReporters on Monday, the activist urged the President to remain firm and follow his instincts on the potency and efficacy of the herbal remedy as cure for the virus.

Evah cautioned Buhari not to accede to the plan by the organisation and other foreign influence to inject Nigerians with the trial vaccine.

The activist also called on African leaders to explore ‘herbal remedies’ with strength and vigour and make it African agenda in the fight against the pandemic.

He said, “I call on the President not to bow to the pressure from foreign countries and organisation but to maintain his ground on this Madagascar drugs and come up with pronouncements.

“World Health Organisation cannot come and intimidate us because they want us to use our money to buy their drugs. We have African remedies and this time around we will not allow Europe and America to bring their chemical to inject us.”

When asked if Nigerians would survive another reinforcement of lockdown, Evah said it would amount to infliction of additional hardship, adding that a proactive measure and plan must be in place before making such announcement.

He therefore called on Buhari and Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to come up with a strategic roadmap and make a pronouncement on the Madagascar ‘COVID Organics’ as a way of reassuring Nigerians.

He said, “All African leaders should stand their ground and make sure that Madagascar drugs and Chloroquine in which our people have been treated with are adopted.”

He blamed Niger Delta governors for the marginalisation of the South-South region in the sharing of palliative and relief fund.

He said the governors lacked coordination and unity of purpose and direction in their approach to issues that concern the region.

He added, “Our governors are cowards, they cannot speak for us, they cannot mobilise and they are not working as a team.

“We cannot blame Federal Government for the poor distribution of palliative in the region.”