APC Mandate Defenders has reacted to what it described as a series of dishonorable statements coming from the governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello denying the existence of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

In a statement released to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Ifeanyi Emeka, the group said it has been ignoring the governor because his views are insignificant but now decides to respond to him because of the lives of many Nigerians that would be saved.

The group said COVID-19 is purely science and data-driven which does not require political statements to sound politically correct in moments of a national health emergency.

“We are still surprised that in spite of the fact that a Kogi man in the person of Engr. Suleiman Achimugu was the first victim of COVID-19 in Nigeria, Gov. Bello is still denying the existence of the virus in the country,” the statement said.