The Senate spokesperson, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, has said the leadership of the Senate would meet with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) if he failed to address Nigerians on the issue of Coronavirus.

He said,

“The basic principles of every Government in line with section 14 (2) of the 1999 constitution is to protect lives and properties.

“Based on that, the Senate on Wednesday resolved to ask the President under matter of urgent public importance through Senator Danjuma Goje that the President should address Nigerians and if possible to show the way forward to reduce tension of panicking.

“We have a process of our resolution. You don’t just give information and within 24 hours, you expect the President to act.

“If we make resolution, we have to communicate the President, it is the prerogative of the Clerk to communicate, through the adviser on National Assembly matters.

“I want to believe the President is studying that resolution.

“Today is Thursday, it is too early for us to question why the President has not addressed the nation

“There are procedures for the President to address the nation.

“I want to believe that in the next one week if he didn’t address the nation, the leadership of the Senate will engage the executive arm of government because it is a serious issue and the situation we find ourselves.

“The disease does not know a senator or president or a farmer once you catch it you are going.

“I want to ask for a little patient with the president to address the nation.”

He said some senators during the closed session advocated the immediate closure of the National Assembly and the suspension of plenary but that the Senate President said it would be a hasty action.

He said,

“We decided that we should avoid public hearing because public hearing will bring in a lot of peolle and shaking of hands.

“The influx of people into the complex should be limited by security, we only want the senators, media and the aides. For any reason it is getting out of hand life has no duplicate

Meanwhile, Lawan, on Thursday at plenary announced the decision of the Senate to suspend public hearings and restrict access to its chamber over growing concerns of Coronavirus (COVID-19) spread in the country.

The announcement came after the Senate embarked on a closed session to deliberate on the devastating impact which a spread of the disease may cause in the absence of preventive measures.

The Senate President, in addition, announced the closure of its gallery where journalists and members of the public, usually converge to observe plenary proceedings

Lawan said,

“The Senate resolves to suspend all public hearings till further notice as a result of the Coronavirus, COVID-19.

“In addition, the Senate gallery will remain closed to the public till further notice including excursions from schools and organisations from Tuesday 24th of March, 2020,” Lawan said.