Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the general elections of 2023, has urged President Bola Tinubu to lead by example by using Nigerian healthcare facilities for his medical requirements rather than going outside.
According to Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, such a step would reduce medical tourism, which has long been a problem in the country, and encourage Nigerians to have faith in the country’s healthcare system.
Obi, however, was cautioned by the ruling All Progressives Congress not to agitate Nigerians against President Tinubu, especially after he claimed that the President had neglected to address the deteriorating security and economic issues during his first 18 months in office.
During a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday, Obi asked the President to think about using facilities such as the Federal Medical Centres located throughout the nation or the National Hospital in Abuja.
“You should go to our national hospitals now. Consider doing your next medical examination, for example, in one of our regional FMCs or national hospitals in Sokoto, Birnin Kebbi, Calabar, Umuahia, or Akure, among other locations.
“You can evaluate the condition of the medical facilities accessible to Nigerians thanks to this. To make well-informed judgements on how to improve and increase the efficiency of our clinics and hospitals, it will also assist you in understanding their current state,” Obi stated.
Together, President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have travelled to 27 countries on 42 separate occasions during the last 18 months of his administration, spending more than 180 days overseas.
Tinubu alone has travelled to 16 countries on 29 occasions, spending 124 days overseas. There has been conjecture that some of these excursions, especially to France, were for medical purposes.
Obi emphasised that President Tinubu must assume leadership responsibilities by personally addressing important concerns. To see the condition of the country’s highways, he also encouraged the president to take a road trip.
“You can travel short distances, like from Benin in Edo State to Warri in Delta State or from Calabar in Cross River State to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, which is less than 100 km away,” Obi recommended.
He recalled a similar incident that happened while he was governor, and he drove former President Olusegun Obasanjo from Awka to Onitsha on a federal route.
“You can travel short distances, like from Benin in Edo State to Warri in Delta State or from Calabar in Cross River State to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, which is less than 100 kilometres away. During my tenure as governor of Anambra State, I remember taking President Olusegun Obasanjo on a trip from Awka to Onitsha on a federal highway. This trip led him to promptly authorise the Anambra State government’s reconstruction of a portion of the road, which was later reimbursed by the federal government. Such deeds are of great worth.
“It is crucial to familiarise yourself with the infrastructure, facilities, and amenities offered by our tertiary institutions, where our students and future leaders are being trained, through both scheduled and unplanned visits. These visits will yield important information about what is required to maintain the educational system and whether the Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s resources are being used as efficiently as possible.”
Obi denied rumours that he would unite with the New Nigeria People’s Party or the Peoples Democratic Party on political issues.
His explanation was given two days after Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the NNPP’s presidential candidate, denied knowing of any such agreement.
In 2027, Obi urged all supporters of democracy to come together to overthrow the ruling All Progressives Congress but stated that he had no official alliance with any political party.
The APC, however, responded in a statement sent by Felix Morka, its National Publicity Secretary, accusing Obi of hypocrisy and claiming that his New Year’s greeting was “misleading and appears intended to score cheap political points.”
Morka underlined that the accusation painted the former governor as a prominent “doomsayer” at a time when every indication points to a substantial recovery in every area of the economy.
“Eighteen months later, the economy has demonstrated a consistent track record of improvement under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration,” he stated. The administration is boosting its efforts to guarantee the complete benefits of continuing reforms for the development of our nation, notwithstanding these and other positive beginning results.
“It is ironic that during his eight years as governor of Anambra State, Obi—who now prides himself on being omniscient and a philosopher’s stone—left no record of noteworthy accomplishment, much less any kind of transformation, when it comes to our nation’s problems.”Like his fellow PDP travellers, Obi’s incessant pessimism and ceaseless, fruitless attempts to stir up public anger against the government stem from his understanding that Tinubu’s bold and comprehensive transformation is unintentionally making them politically irrelevant.
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Tinubu is obligingly improving the prospects of our country. We implore Nigerians to hold onto their optimism for brighter times to come.”
