Politics
How Not To Respond To Bill Gates
While addressing stakeholders at a special session of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Thursday,, March 22, 2018, the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Bill Gates faulted the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the Federal Government.
He is reported to have said that the ERGP, which must reflect the people’s needs, should also give priority to human capital development over physical capital as it is designed currently.
The founder of Microsoft Corporation and one of the richest men in the world is said to have told the meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that “To anchor the economy over the long term, investment in infrastructure and competiveness must go hand in hand with investments in the people.
“People without roads, ports and factories can’t flourish. And roads,, ports and factories without skilled workers to build and manage them can’t sustain an economy.”
To underscore his call for intervention in the healthcare services and education to the people of the country, Mr Gates lamented that Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth, with the fourth worst maternal mortality rate ahead of only Sierra-Leone, Central African Republic and Chad.
In the face of this, right after the meeting at the Presidential Villa, Governor Nasir el-Rufai told newsmen that Mr Gates assessment was incorrect.
The Kaduna State governor and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said “it is not correct to say that the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan does not give primacy to human capital, it is not correct.”
Even though Governor El-Rufai admitted that “if a child loses quality education, he is done for life. If a child doesn’t get quality healthcare in the first two years, he is destroyed for life, he said “it is not the ERGP that needs adjustment, it is the budgeting that needs to be ramped up in these two key areas because these are where problems are.”
Of course, Nigerians across all strata and segments of the society have since been engaged in heated arguments and discussions over the issue.
However, the National Project Coordinator of the International Trauma and Critical Care, Managers of the Prof. Kelsey Harrison Hospital in Port Harcourt, Dr. Sidney Ibeanusi has advised the Federal Government not to see Bill Gates’ statement as an attempt to diminish the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari but as a constructive criticism aimed at goading the government to turn things around for the good of Nigerians.
In an exclusive interview with The Tide in his office in Port Harcourt, Dr. Ibeanusi said Mr. Gates observations, though scathing, should be taken seriously since the American was neither a Nigerian nor a politician and therefore could not have been influenced by political calculations in making utterances.
The expert in trauma medicine regretted that politics was getting too much in the way of government’s ability to deliver critical welfare services to the people of the country and called on the authorities to redirect and refocus their attention towards giving Nigerians a new lease of life.
“He is not a Nigerian and he is not a politician that you’d say he is playing politics with words”, he said adding that “Government should take it as constructive criticism and not to look at it as if somebody is out to demean the government”.
According to him, the facts upon which Mr. Gates based his criticism were in the public domain locally as well as the international community and therefore the Federal Government only needs to face the truth and make adjustments in order to reverse the ugly trend and avert grim consequences for the country in the near future.” The health sector has not fared well just like the education sector in terms of budgetary allocation. The government may be working on that but so far it’s been a struggle and this is showing in terms of statistics coming out of the country” he said, stressing that Mr. Gates should not be condemned for declaring Nigeria as one of the worst places in the world to give birth.
“You heard last week, Bill Gates who is partnering Nigeria in terms of polio actually said that Nigeria is one of the worst places to give birth in terms of survival. That is an indictment actually but I don’t think he should be crucified for that”, he said .
According to Dr. Ibeanusi, the Federal Government needs to nmuster the political will to set things right by investing more in healthcare and education as, in his opinion, all other sectors are bound to take their bearing from these.
“I think that part of what we need to do is to invest more in health, invest more in education (and) then you will get others right.
“If your children are dying before they get to age of five years or they’re getting stunted, it will affect the quality of human beings you turn out later”, he emphasised.
“I think the government needs to do something and do that urgently” in the area of not just adequate budgetary provision but the implementation of appropriated allocations, he said, adding that “As a country, we should actually first of all look at capacity building, look at investment and resource provision and then provide the enabling environment. You cannot have a system where you have a private sector that comes in today and then you come up with laws that will stifle them. It will discourage more persons from coming”.
Dr. Ibeanusi said that Ghana was fasting becoming very attractive to investors in the health sector and warned that except something was urgently done by the Federal Government, the West African neighbors would soon become a destination of choice not only for those seeking medical solution but for experts as well, including those from Nigeria.
He said the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo did not miss the point when he indicated that the government appreciated what Mr. Gates said and expressed the view that they were going to tackle the matter head on.
“I think that should be the approach, take it head on; look at the things we haven’t done and start doing things we should do right away rather than saying it is in the pipeline,” he said, pointing out that with as little as N10 billion annually, the Federal Government could provide free emergency medical care for all Nigerians.
“What it takes to provide emergency medical services to Nigerians free may not be more than N10 billion every year,” he noted, insisting that “that alone can provide emergency medical services to every person in this country. Within 24 to 48 hours, you have an emergency, you walk into a hospital and get treated and nobody asks you for a kobo.”
He, however, lamented that Nigerians were dying needlessly for lack of money to pay for medical expenses even though government could do so little to save them.
“A lot of Nigerians die because they don’t have money to access medical care. They go to the hospital, they are not able to pay deposits and by the time they leave there to another hospital, they die on the way,” he noted with regret, adding that sometimes the situation catches up with the politicians as well.
“You are aware that recently a Senator slumped and died before he could get to the hospital. If he had had medical personnel nearby, probably the person would have tried to keep him alive until appropriate help arrives.
“When these things are lacking, we are all exposed to becoming victims of our own inefficiency, of our own inability to do the things we ought to do. And I think every politician should think twice, if it is not you today, it could be your brother, it could be your sister, it could be your parent,” he cautioned.
While he admitted that politicians had a right to play politics, Dr Ibeanusi argued that healthcare services and education are fundamental rights of the people that must not be politicised irrespective of the government in power.
“You know politicians always talk about numbers, how many votes and all that. But things like health care, things like education don’t talk about numbers; those are social services and these are fundamental rights of the people.
“Whatever government in power should focus on them,” he reiterated.
Opaka Dokubo.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.
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