Arise TV Town Hall Meeting: Tinubu Absent As Atiku Fails To Promise To Use Nigerian Hospitals If Elected President

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disclosed that the health facilities that cater for his health may not be available in Nigeria.

He lamented that Nigeria’s healthcare system has limitations.

Atiku made this known on Sunday at the Arise TV Town Hall when the presidential candidates in attendance were asked if they could declare their health status and also use health facilities in the country if elected.

Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), who took the lead, said doctors had certified that he had 30 more years, stating that he was ready to make his status known and would make use of Nigerian facilities as he had been doing.

Former Vice-President Atiku, whose turn was next, said he would declare his health status if the need arose. He added that health facilities that carter for his health may not be available in Nigeria when asked if he was prepared to use facilities in the country.

He, however, said he has plans to ensure that healthcare delivery is readily available and affordable.

“The Nigerian health facilities that carter for my health may not be available. You know that we have limitations. We have been talking about those limitations.

“I will review the Nigeria Health Insurance Scheme system initiated while I was Vice President, and make it inclusive and affordable for all Nigerians.

“We need to first address the issue of primary healthcare. After addressing this, which affects the majority of our citizens, then we can focus on the secondary and tertiary levels. The truth is that we are not investing enough as a government in the medical sector,” he said.

The Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi on his part said he was ready to make his health status public, adding that he had no problem using Nigerian hospitals.

Obi noted that he made use of such facilities when he was governor of Anambra.

He said, “It is actually required that those aspiring to lead should be able to make their medical records available to the public. And two, I have served as a governor. While serving as governor, I resuscitated some facilities and I used them.

“I’m still using them till today. I believe that if there’s any issue of referral from them, I mean, if there’s a situation that our healthcare can’t handle, I will not say everybody must be restricted here. As for my position, I use the facilities here and I believe in them. And I can tell you that they are very competent. All we need is to believe in them. I have shown you how we can use insurance to prove that everyone can be cared for.”

However, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu was again absent at the Town Hall meeting organised by Arise TV.

Tinubu, on Saturday morning, the eve of the Presidential Town Hall meeting left the country for the United Kingdom ahead of his scheduled engagement at Chatham House in London on Monday.

The AP candidate is expected to speak on security, economy and foreign policy.

Tinubu had failed to show up at the November series of the town hall, which is an initiative of Arise Television and the Centre for Democracy and Development.

His campaign team defended the APC candidate’s absence at the time, citing bias and partisanship on the part of the television station’s anchors.

SaharaReporters.