Covid-19 will inspire patriotism among Nigerian politicians – Onofiok Luke

Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke

A member of the House of Representatives, Onofiok Luke, has advised Nigerians not to fret or be in despair despite the “uncertainty” created in the world over by the new coronavirus.

Confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Nigeria stood at 343 as of April 13. Ninety-one persons have treated and discharged, while 10 have died so far in the country.

Here is a record of confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the states in Nigeria, according to the data released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Lagos- 189; FCT- 56, Osun- 20; Edo- 14; Oyo- 11; Ogun- 9; Bauchi- 6; Kaduna- 6; Akwa Ibom- 5; Katsina-5; Kwara- 4; Ondo- 3; Delta- 3; Kano- 3; Enugu- 2; Ekiti- 2; Rivers-2; Benue- 1; Niger- 1; Anambra- 1.

This is the time for Nigerians to find solidarity as a people, Mr Luke, who represents Etinan Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State, in the House of Representatives, said in a statement he issued recently.

“Today, the world is faced with a novel Covid-19 that has threatened to keep us on our knees and is even already reorienting our relationship with our God, our government, to the outside world and even to each other as a people.

“I write to you in these moments of uncertainty not to fret or be in despair.

“I pray that may we all find inner peace in the midst of all that is happening through the strength in our faith. Let us remain courageous by abiding to the guidelines of practising proper respiratory hygiene and follow instructions of social distancing and other measures set by the government and health experts to contain and even challenge this pandemic,” said Mr Luke, a former speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

The lawmaker said while everyone is working hard to defeat the pandemic, Nigeria must be ready to take in the accompanying lessons, one of which, according to him, is that the nation must place premium on the people’s development, welfare, and future.

“Hopefully, this Covid-19 and its attendant consequences will become a catalyst that leaves us the political class in a reverberated spirit to search within for a new birth of patriotism and sincerity of purpose for a better service delivery for our people and country,” he said.

“Truth is, the world will defeat this pandemic and come out stronger than ever before but we must begin to prepare ourselves for a post-Covid-19 world; a world where nations will outdo themselves to recover and expand exponentially to meet a development equilibrium. We must never be left behind.”

Mr Luke has provided support to his constituents to cushion the effect of the lockdown and to the Akwa Ibom state government to help in fighting the spread of the virus.