COVID 19: Govs, Oyedepo, CSOs Warn NASS Against Disease Bill

By Bayo Bernard

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and his co-travelers appear to be walking solo in their quest to pass the Infectious Disease Bill into law.

Many Nigerians have virulently expressed their dissatisfaction with the speed at which the lawmakers are trying to pass the bill.

The bill has also been rocked with many controversies, including the allegation of bribery against the leadership of the House.

Apart from prominent Nigerians, including political and religious leaders who have kicked against the bill, which has already passed the Second Reading in the House of Representatives, all the 36 state governors in the country have now withdrawn their support for the bill.

If the Speaker and other lawmakers in the lower chambers of the National Assembly have their way, Nigerians will be forced to be vaccinated for any infectious disease against their will.

This must not be allowed to happen, the governors have said, insisting that more consultations are required before the lawmakers go ahead with the passage of the controversial bill.

The governors expressed their dissatisfaction with the bill in a communiqué signed by the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state.

The NGF has therefore, set up a three-member committee made up of Governors Aminu Masari of Katsina state, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto and Simon Lalong of Plateau to liaise with the leadership of the National Assembly on the issue.

The communiqué said “Following an update from the Governor of Sokoto State and Vice Chairman of the NGF, Aminu Tambuwal, on the proposed Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020 introduced by the House of Representatives, governors raised concern with the lack of consultation with state governments who are at the forefront of the epidemic.

The Forum resolved that the Bill should be stepped down until an appropriate consultative process is held, including a public hearing to gather public opinion and concerns.

In the light of this, the Forum established a committee comprising the governors of Katsina, Sokoto and Plateau to lead a consultative meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly on the proposed Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020.

The NGF secretariat was also mandated to comprehensively review the Bill and its implication on states.”

Apart from the governors, over 40 civil society groups, CSOs have also kicked against the legislation, insisting that it will violate the rights of Nigerians.

In a statement, the CSOs said the bill empowers NCDC to restrict fundamental rights and freedoms of the people.

The CSOS stated that “The Bill empowers the NCDC to restrict fundamental rights and freedoms at will, and abuse constitutionally established institutions and processes, without any form of accountability.

For instance, Section 10 (3) gives the Director-General express powers to use force to enter any premises without a warrant.”

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), the umbrella bodies of political parties in the country also during the week, alleged that lawmakers had been offered $10million to pass the Bill.

Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel said the lawmakers are trying to force the bill on Nigerians against their will.

He said their evil gang up will fail.

Oyedepo said “You must take a vaccine! Why will you force me to take a vaccine? For what?

“You don’t take vaccines, you don’t go outside the country! How? Where is it coming from?

“Evil scheming of evil men, gang up of agents of the devil, trying to bring a flood of evil upon humanity. And now from the vaccine: autism; from the vaccine: higher mortality rate of deaths.”

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has faulted the NGF insisting that it will go ahead with the bill and that the governors were mislead to call for its termination.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, in a statement said the state governors cannot teach the National Assembly how to do their work.

The Infectious Disease Bill, a plagiarised version of Singapore was sponsored by Speaker Gbajabiamila.