The senate has adjourned plenary for two weeks as the novel coronavirus pandemic continue to spread in Nigeria
The country has so far recorded 40 cases and one death.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan disclosed this on Tuesday after a one-hour closed-door session.
Lawan, however, said senate would be on standby to attend to any crucial matter that might pop up during the adjournment.
He implored citizens to adhere to the guidelines put in place by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“The senate further resolves to adjourn sitting for two weeks from today due to the pandemic of coronavirus ravaging the entire world and therefore the senate will resume on the 7th April,” he said.
“However the senate will be on hand in case there is an urgent issue that requires its attention. The federal government should devote special funds to fight the covid-19 threatening Nigeria threatening Nigeria.
“Also the federal government should give financial and other resource assistance to the states in the fight against the virus. The senate committees on health and primary healthcare and communicable diseases will continue to engage on the federal ministry of health and presidential taskforce on covid-19.”
Also the House of Representatives has followed in the foot step of the upper legislative chamber as it has also suspended plenary till Apri; 7.
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, made this known in his opening remarks at the plenary on Tuesday.
Gbajabiamila said the lawmakers would only work on an economic stimulus bill to protect Nigerians and the economy against the impact of COVID-19.
The House had on March 3, 2020, resolved that the National Assembly should suspend plenary for two weeks for fear of coronavirus, asking the management to install screening and sanitation devices at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
The Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, had raised a point of order on legislative privilege, saying, “I think that this House should suspend plenary for a period of two weeks, for the management to sanitise everybody and allow it to put measures in place so that all of us can be tested.
“It may sound like a joking matter but it is a very serious matter. And I think this House should take this as a very serious matter, otherwise, you would not know who to shake (hands with).”