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Buhari’s Govt, ‘Complete Failure’, PDP Chieftain Alleges
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Prince Kassim Afegbua, has described the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration as a “complete failure”.
Afegbua said Buhari has over the last seven years of his administration thrown Nigerians into suffering, adding that life has become unbearable for the citizens under the current administration.
The PDP chieftain stated that the Buhari-led presidency was “confused and incompetent” over its inability to build a standard hospital, which could stop the Nigerian leader and other citizens from seeking medical treatment abroad.
He further slammed Buhari for his “incompetence” to tackle the various challenges bewildering the country which include insecurity, fuel scarcity and hike in price, electricity tariff hike, among others.
Afegbua, a former Edo State commissioner for information, said this in a statement made available to newsmen, yesterday.
The statement was titled, ‘President Buhari’s government is a complete failure’.
It read: “In all my adult life, I have never seen a government that is this confused, incompetent, spineless, uncreative, rudderless, tactless, clueless and demoralising like this one headed by a medical tourist, President Muhammadu Buhari.
“In seven years, it is a big shame that the Buhari presidency is unable to build a state-of-the-art hospital that could answer his medical needs and the needs of other Nigerians.
“In seven years, our megawatts still revolve around 4,000 and 5,000 with so much so-called investment in the energy sector; and the president hops to London at the slightest opportunity to enjoy uninterrupted power supply, while leaving us in darkness. They go for medical tourism like post-graduate students seeking post-graduate degrees abroad.
“In seven years, electricity is in a quandary, possibly leading the country to a state of near total darkness, and Buhari would still thump his chest as president of Nigeria; presiding over failure?
“In seven years, not a single Refinery has been fixed or has any brand new one being built. It is an unpardonable failure on the part of this APC-led Federal Government under the watch of Buhari. I have never seen this level of incompetence being exhibited in high office like what we are witnessing today.
“Life has become unbearable under a system that is manifestly asphyxiating, dehumanising, and discomfiting. Nigeria and Nigerians have become internally displaced persons in their own country as a result of the blood-spilling activities of bandits and kidnappers. From the North to the South, we are seeing rivers of blood flowing with cake of crimson, as a result of general insecurity.
“Nothing seems to be working in Nigeria except failure. Only last week, the Auditor-General made mind-boggling revelations about the millions of barrels of oil without any trace under a president and minister of petroleum whose adherents see as ‘mai-gaskiya’.
“How on earth can 107million barrels of oil be declared missing under a government that sings about anti-corruption, yet not many heads have rolled, nobody has been sacked, nobody has been apprehended and no one is cooling off in jail!! Imagine such a whooping figure as if it is a piece of groundnut in a pupil’s pocket.”
Afegbua said: “To make matters worse, the finance minister reportedly told the nation that the Federal Government was thinking of raising euro-bond cash to fund oil subsidy. What a cataclysmic catastrophe!. What impudence!
“The APC and the Federal Government are two sides of a dysfunctional system that are unassailably confused, directionless and running amok.
“Long queues of vehicles occasioned by the scarcity have become ugly sights across the country. Diesel has risen to over N700 per litre, kerosene which ought to be the cheapest for the average masses is now selling for N450 per litre.
“Electricity tariffs have risen astronomically, almost beyond the reach of the ordinary Nigerian. In all of these, an elected president abandoned his citizens to seek medical attention in London.
“I have stated on several occasions in the last that a sick country cannot do well under a president that has health challenges; one of the reasons I am vehemently opposed to those old and tired politicians who now want to temporarily acquire the Aso Villa as their retirement home, and use the office to rejuvenate and repair themselves by contesting for presidency.
“Rather than attend to our needs, they would be making all efforts to sustain their own wellbeing at the detriment and expense of Nigerians. They will force the country to work and walk at their own slow pace.
“Rather than be on the fast lane, the country will naturally be detained in a motion without movement scenario, because the supposed enabler is busy attending to his health needs.
“It is pathetic that in President Buhari’s seven years in office, he could not build a world standard hospital to look after his own health needs and those of other citizens.
“Just take a look at the curious contradictions; the president of the country is in London for medicals, the First Lady is reportedly in Dubai, the caretaker committee chairman of the ruling party was in Dubai for medicals. Both party and government are immersed in unpardonable voyages of wellness while the rest of the country can go to hell.
“This government is not just wicked and inconsiderate, but also a cultivator of poverty, impoverishment, deprivation, hunger and starvation. The government has shown visible signs of underperformance, incompetence and crass materialism. The level of corruption in the system rubbishes the so-called anti-corruption mantra of the government.”
The PDP chieftain added: “This is a clarion call to all and sundry that we must collectively add our voices to make the 2023 election a referendum by Nigerians against the abnormalities of the ruling APC.
“We have been demobilised by suffering and economic dislocations, hence we must speak with one voice against a system and party that has crippled our sense of creativity and productivity.
“As hard working Nigerians, we must conscientise, mobilise, and synergise amongst ourselves to create the right nexus for citizen action against the ruling party in 2023.
“We must bail our country from the octopoidal grip of the present incompetent leadership and lead it on the path of constructive and collective engagement in the overall interest of our people,” Afegbua stated.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
