Presidency has confirmed that the presidential villa in Abuja was on a partial lockdown.

Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, who made the revelation when he spoke to State House correspondents in Abuja, yesterday, insisted that Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings were suspended indefinitely because more than 50 converge on the council chamber of the presidential villa on a weekly basis as against the restriction on large gatherings amid the coronvairus outbreak.

“The council was suspended because of the size. You have over 50 people seated in the council chambers whenever the meeting holds and that is not advisable at a time like this,” he said.

“But if there would be a very important decision to be taken, you can always summon the relevant people, three, four or five and hold a small meeting and arrive at a decision. It does not mean that one man is going to be taking all the decisions. Of course yes there are executive decisions but the ones that must pass through consultations of which must have a buy in of the federal executive council can always be discussed at a smaller meeting.

A Presidency source confirmed that the president was in his office working but no government functionary came for the usual briefing.

The source who did not say the exact time the president resumed at work, however, said as at 2.30pm when the inquiry was made, he was in the office.

In adherence with the directive of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, FEC meeting did not hold.

The Taskforce had on Monday announced the suspension of the council meeting until further notice.

On the situation of things at the villa, the presidential aide said: “Well, things are a bit on a low key, it doesn’t mean that the State House is shut down, it’s just that things are a bit on the low key just like the rest of the country. The rest of the country is also on a lowkey, there is partial lockdown in most parts of the country. So, what is happening at the State House can also be called a partial lockdown but not a complete lockdown.”

Currently, Nigeria has 46 cases of COVID-19 including one death.

Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, are among Nigeria’s 46 confirmed cases.

The COVID-19 has killed over 15,000 people globally, the majority of them in Europe and China.

He assured that all those who tested positive to the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19) would receive adequate medical attention, saying Coronavirus was not a death sentence.

He cited the recovery of the index case to buttress his point, emphasised that anybody that tested positive should not panic as the virus was curable.

“We also will pray along with the persons, give them our goodwill and best wishes and they will surely come out of it. Even the index case in Nigeria recovered and has been discharged.

“God that has shown us mercy thus far and will continue to show that mercy. Anybody that tests positive is not a death sentence, they will be attended to, they will be tested and they will be fine,” he said.

On other measures adopted by the presidency to curtail the spread of COVID-19, Adesina said:“Of course, you know when you come into the State House you have about three, four, five spots in which your temperature is tested and you have to sanitise your hand.

“And if you come in and your temperature is way above a certain figure, then you will be advised to go for test and take care of yourself.

“So, I think so far so good. Before you will go into the general area you will meet about three areas of test and before you get into the President’s area you will meet like another two.

“I believe that a lot has been done to ensure that those who operate in the presidency are taken care of.”

He cautioned Nigerians against panic, saying, “panic will not be the right thing to do because when you panic you are bound to make mistakes. When you panic you get agitated and the situation does not call for that, rather it calls for cooperation with government. When they give instructions lets abide with those instructions. And a number of things have been put in place to ensure that the well being of Nigerians is taken care of.”

Sun