failure to address the country since the COVID-19 pandemic broke, a
statement from his office has said.“President Muhammadu Buhari will broadcast to the nation Sunday, March
29, 2020 at 7pm.
“Television, radio and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to
hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority
(NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) respectively for
the broadcast,” Mr Buhari’s spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said in a mail
sent to journalists.
Although the topic of the address was not stated in the brief message,
Mr Buhari is expected to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts
his government is taking to tackle it.
The decision to address Nigerians comes amidst criticisms by many
Nigerians over the president’s refusal to address them since Nigeria
recorded its first case of COVID-19 about a month ago.
Presidential aides had given various reasons for Mr Buhari’s refusal to
address Nigerians. While information minister Lai Mohammed said it was
not yet the ‘appropriate time’, Mr Adesina had said that was not Mr
Buhari’s ‘style’ of addressing the crisis.
Sunday’s address will be the Nigerian president’s first since the
coronavirus pandemic broke.
Nigeria now has 97 cases of the disease while one person has died.