Buhari’s Handing Over: An Advancement of Nigeria’s Democracy-Senator Omoworare

By Segun Ojo

The Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Senator Babajide Omoworare has described the proper handing over of mantle of leadership to the Vice-president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo before embarking on medical trip abroad, as an indication of democratic advancement in Nigeria.

Omoworare, who said President’s move is in line with constitutional provisions, noted that it was unprecedented in the history of Nigeria,where a President would travel, and handover to his vice as Acting President of the country without rancour.

Omoworare stated this at the weekend, during a free health care programme he organised for the people of Ile-Ife, where over 2500 people, mostly the ageing, benefited.

The free healthcare programme ‘Ilera Loro’ cut across all categories, including medical examinations, administration of drugs, ophthalmological session, and vaccination, diabetics, renal failure, malaria and dental test and treatment by doctors from the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife.

According to Omoworare, President Buhari is human and could fall sick particularly with his old age, maintaining that the president had obeyed the constitution by writing the National Assembly to inform the legislature of his trip.

He noted that President’s Buhari’s trip is an indication that rule of law is prevailing in Nigeria’s democratic system of governor, saying that his absence did not disturb or frustrate governance and government activities.

Omoworare said he organized the free health programme to assist the less privilege in the society by enhancing accessibility to medical care and providing opportunity for them to know their medical status.

According to the senator, majority of people could not go to the hospital for medical test because they could not afford the medical charge, hence his resolve to put in place the free health programme to address their various challenges.

Speaking on the Nigeria’s health sector, Omoworare lamented that healthcare delivery in Nigeria is short of a reliable health system that Nigerians could boast of.

Omoworare who decried medical tourism abroad by Nigerians, admitted that there is lack of confidence in Nigeria’s health sector, which necessitated the need for those that could afford the cost to seek for medical treatment abroad.

He attributed poor budget provision, training of medical personnel, absence of systematic healthcare delivery and corruption to the poor state of Nigeria’s health sector.

The Senator disclosed that the National Assembly was working with the executive arm of government to make sure that health sector gets substantive amount in the 2017 budget, disclosing that the initial budget for the sector was rejected by the legislature because the amount was low.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Association of Residents Doctors, OAUTHC, Dr Taofeek Akiniyi, who led the medical team for the programme, encouraged people to embark on regular medical test, saying early discovery of ailment and disease remained the best practice for healthy living.