There is anxiety in the Nigerian national legislative quarters over some lawmakers who just returned from coronavirus high-risk countries.
These include the United Kingdom and the United States.
As a result, the leadership of the Senate wants them to self-quarantine.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen. Godiya Akwashiki(APC-Nasarawa), said this at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja.
Akwashiki said the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, gave the directive during an executive session of the senate.
“The last question which is difficult a one to answer, but I will answer you, that some lawmakers, who just returned from America, Canada,United Kingdom and Ghana, why they did not self quarantine, before coming to National Assembly.
“We are taking measures on that, it is some of those things that we discussed at the senate close session.
“Senate President announced to all the 109 senators, in fact, he urged those that just returned to the country to go and test themselves from tomorrow.
“In fact, he said as leaders we should show examples to others,” he said.
On the issue of shutting down National Assembly because of COVID-19, he said some senators had at the executive session called for the shutting down of the Assembly for some time.
Akwashiki, however, said if for any reason, the COVID-19 situation got out of hand, the leadership of National Assembly would not hesitate to shut down the Assembly for some time, for safety of Nigerians.
On why President Muhammadu Buhari was yet to address the nation on COVID-19 situation, in spite of Senate resolution, he said there were procedures for the President to address the country.
He, however, said that should the President failed to address the nation in the next one week, given the serious concern on the COVID-19 matter, the leadership of National Assembly would engage the Executive.
