By Chief Peter Ameh
The recent revelation that President Tinubu’s picture with King Charles was a ruse to conceal his emergency medical treatment at St Mary’s Hospital in London is a stark reminder of the lack of transparency and accountability in our government. Despite the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration’s claims of prioritising healthcare, President Tinubu’s secret medical trip abroad exposes the true state of our nation’s health infrastructure.
The fact that our President sought medical attention outside Nigeria raises serious concerns about national security and sovereignty. It is unacceptable that the health status of our President is being hidden from the public, and his medical treatment is being outsourced to foreign countries. This not only puts our national security at risk but also undermines our sovereignty.
This situation is a clear indication of the misplaced sense of patriotism and lack of vision of our leaders. Rather than investing in our national health infrastructure, they choose to squander public funds on white elephant projects and seek medical attention abroad. This is a betrayal of the trust placed in them by the electorate.
We need to be more concerned about the implications of our President’s medical treatment abroad and demand transparency and accountability from our leaders. The health status of our President is a matter of National security and sovereignty, and we cannot afford to compromise on this. It is time for Nigerians to wake up and demand better from their leaders.
The unending renovation of the Aso Rock clinic is a stark reminder of the misplaced priorities and endemic corruption that have characterised the APC government’s handling of public funds. Despite spending a whopping N31 billion on renovations under President Muhammadu Buhari, the clinic remains in a deplorable state, unable to cater to the health needs of our president.
In a shocking display of extravagance, President Tinubu has deemed it fit to spend an additional N21 billion on further renovations, bringing the total expenditure to a staggering N52 billion! This is a clear case of budgetary overhead and a slap in the face of Nigerians who continue to suffer from inadequate healthcare.
Furthermore, the repeated budget overhead on renovating the Aso Rock Clinic has failed to yield any positive outcomes for the hospital, what is with the budgetary allocation to the hospital is a clear case of endemic corruption. Despite the profligate spending, the clinic remains in a deplorable state, unable to cater to the health needs of our President.
The irony of the situation is that despite this huge spending, President Tinubu feels no qualms about seeking medical attention at St Mary’s Hospital in London. This raises serious questions about the efficacy of the renovations and the true intentions behind them.
The endemic corruption associated with budgeting under the APC government has led to a situation where public funds are squandered on white elephant projects, while essential services like healthcare are left to rot. The Aso Rock Clinic debacle is a microcosm of the larger problem of corruption and misgovernance that has plagued our country.
It is time for Nigerians to demand accountability from their rulers and for the government to prioritise the needs of its citizens over unnecessary extravagance. The Aso Rock Clinic must be renovated with transparency and accountability, and our rulers must be held to the highest standards of integrity. Anything less is unacceptable.
- Chief Peter Ameh is the National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) as well as the former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
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