PDP flays Buhari over foreign medical trip

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says President Muhammadu Buhari’s medical trip abroad is a direct indictment of his presidency over its failure to fix the country’s healthcare system.

Mr Buhari, on Tuesday, departed Abuja for London for a routine medical check-up.

The president and his aides departed the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at about 2.30 p.m.

He is expected back in Nigeria during the second week of April 2021.

Criticism

In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said it was worrisome that under Mr Buhari, even the highly-rated State House Clinic had become moribund that it cannot provide medical check-up for the president.

The opposition party said though it had nothing any person, including Mr Buhari seeking medical services, it was worried that “the Buhari presidency is taking no decisive steps to fix our healthcare system, ostensibly because Mr President can afford overseas medical treatment at taxpayers’ expense.”

It advised the president to think of “millions of Nigerians cannot afford overseas treatment and have become despondent by his failure to take decisive steps to address our national healthcare needs”.

Read the full text of the statement:

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the routine overseas medical the check-up embarked by President Muhammadu Buhari is a direct indictment of his Presidency over its failure to fix our healthcare system, which has been wrecked by his administration.

It is indeed worrisome that under President Buhari, even the hitherto highly rated State House Clinic, has become so moribund that it cannot provide a simple medical check-up service for Mr. President.

While the PDP has nothing against where any person, including President Buhari, seeks his or her medical services, our party is worried that the Buhari Presidency is taking no decisive steps to fix our healthcare system, ostensibly because Mr. President can afford overseas medical treatment at taxpayers’ expense.

The PDP is disturbed that while Mr. President jets out for medical treatment in well-equipped hospitals abroad, our hospitals and medical personnel are in very sorry situations while millions of our compatriots suffer, with many dying on a daily basis from conditions that have simple medical solutions.

It is indeed heartrending that Nigerians are suffering this huge misfortune of having this highly insensitive, incompetent and corrupt leadership of very selfish individuals who do not care about the welfare of other citizens.

ALSO READ: Buhari to Service Chiefs: Engage, crush bandits, kidnappers

More saddening is that all the institutions, policies and programmes established by the PDP, which hitherto ensured access to affordable healthcare for Nigerians have been wrecked by the Buhari administration.

Our party urges President Buhari to show leadership by reflecting on the fact that millions of Nigerians cannot afford overseas treatment and have become despondent by his failure to take decisive steps to address our national healthcare needs.

President Buhari must know that his duty as President is not only for his personal needs but more importantly for the needs of the generality of Nigerians.

The PDP however calls on Nigerians to remain calm and not resign to despondency as we collectively work to rescue our nation from the stranglehold of misrule.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary