Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called for a national emergency to manage climate change.
He said the national emergency should also be directed at providing palliatives to victims of the destructive flooding ravaging some parts of the country.
Atiku made the call in a press release by his Media Office to sympathise with victims of the destructive recent flooding in some states across the country.
Flooding has ravaged states like Jigawa, Kogi, Benue, Adamawa, Kebbi, Taraba, Kano, Bauchi, Anambra, Niger and Ebonyi.
It has left in its trails casualties in human lives and property, adding to the socio-economic hardships that continues to grip Nigerians.
Atiku expressed sadness over the occurrences, noting that the situation àt hands required national emergency to manage the climate and provide palliatives for the victims of the flood disasters.
Doing this, Atiku said, would soften the effect of the disaster on the lives of the affected individuals, families and their communities.
“Yet again, we have a situation in our hands that calls for national emergency, both in the management of climate change challenges and providing palliatives to victims of the flooding disasters in order to soften the effect in the lives of individuals and families,” Atiku said.
The PDP presidential flag-bearer warned that, with the alert from the meteorological agency, 24 states across the country will still witness huge rainfall.
The former vice president said, should this happen, it may worsen the situation, adding: “It is imperative that those who live in the most vulnerable areas be temporarily evacuated to avert further loss of lives.”
Atiku further called on government, from the local government, to the state and federal levels, as well as non-governmental institutions, to rise to the occasion by ensuring that necessary reliefs get to those affected by the flooding disaster.
