…As Suspended NHIS boss, Usman Yusuf resumes tomorrow***
A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, says he has no candidate for any political office in 2019.
He said this on Wednesday at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential library, Abeokuta, during a courtesy visit by a youth group from Delta State led a governorship aspirant, Frank Esanubi.
Obasanjo, who said he had taken a decision in 2015 not to participate any longer in partisan politics, added that he would rather remain an elder statesman having a passion for a greater Nigeria.
He further explained that his recent open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari was not in any way to disrespect him or his office.
Obasanjo said in the letter he was only articulating his views about the situation in the country and offering his candid advice.
He explained that his statement was thoroughly thought out, adding that as a former President, he could not hold the office of the President in contempt.
Obasanjo, however, reiterated that the Coalition for Nigeria Movement would remain a socio-political movement, insisting that he would cease to be a member of the coalition the moment it transformed into a political party or became partisan.
He said, “In the year 2015, I said I would no longer participate in partisan politics. And I still stand by my decision.
“Everybody, irrespective of his or her political affiliation is free to come here for advice, I will gladly do that. I have no candidate, whatsoever, for any political office. I just believe that things must be done differently in Nigeria to get different result.
“If you study our transitions since the colonial era, they have all taken place without taking the people at the grassroots into consideration.
“So, the CNM is about the people at the grassroots. It is a socio-economic movement where youth and women, especially, will be given an opportunity to appreciate their interests and power. Unlike before, I believe we must put the Ox before the cart.
“If the system and the platform sync, I believe Nigeria will get there. And like I said, the moment the coalition gets involved in candidate sponsoring or participates in partisan politics, I will opt out of it.”
Earlier, Esanubi said his group was in Abeokuta to visit the former president to brief him on their resolve to heed his call for Nigerians to come together under the CNM, to build a better Nigeria.
In the meantime, normalcy prevailed at the premises of the National Health Insurance Scheme( NHIS), Wednesday, following the reinstatement of the Executive Secretary, Prof Usman Yusuf, who is expected to resume Thursday, even as organised labour expressed shock.
A source at the NHIS head office in Abuja who disclosed to Vanguard on Wednesday, however decried the manner of the Executive Secretary’s reinstatement by the Presidency. “We are embarrassed to read about the reinstatement of the NHIS Executive Secretary, Prof. Usman Yusuf, from the media this morning.
“There was no prior communication to the Scheme about the development. That fact, notwithstanding, we anticipated his return today but saw no sign of him.
However, we have it on good authority that he would resume on Thursday,” the source noted. It would be recalled that Yusuf was suspended in June 2017 by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole following his indictment by an administrative panel set-up by the Minister to probe allegations of gross misconduct and financial recklessness level against him. Yusuf was reinstated on Tuesday by President Mohammadu Buhari.
In a response to the development, organised labour yesterday expressed shock, contending that it mocked President Buhari’s acclaimed war against corruption.
Speaking through the Association’s of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, Labour declared that the recall of Prof Yusuf was another dent in the anti-corruption war of President Buhari-led Federal Government. In a statement issued in Lagos, the ASCSN Secretary-General, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal posited that the action of the President was capable of being interpreted to mean that the Government anti-graft war was selective and designed to deal with specific targets.
According to the statement: “How can a government official being investigated for a whopping sum of N919 million fraud by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) be reinstated by the Government that came to power promising to sanitize the system.
This is very unfortunate. We, therefore, urge President Buhari to rescind his action and allow Professor Yusuf to leave the system in peace. “As a Union, we believe that the action of Mr. President is capable of lending credence to Professor Yusuf arrogant public statements several times that he could not report to the Minister of Health since he deal directly with Mr. President. Thus, if Professor Yusuf resumes as Executive Secretary of NHIS, it will amount to passing a vote of no confidence on the Minister.
Punch with additional report from Vanguard
