The participation of educated and well-qualified people in politics would help to get desired goals achieved in the country and also ensure good governance, Senator Yahaya Ibrahim Oloriegbe, has said.
Apart from ensuring that things get changed for the better , it will also give voters the opportunity to have ‘an alternative option’ , support competent candidates and vote them into power.
He has also cautioned Nigerians against laying emphasis on monetary benefits before or during elections noting that priority should rather be placed on capacity, competence and suitability.
Oloriegbe, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, said this while talking to journalists including Team@orientactualmags.com during the flag off ceremony of the free medical outreach he facilitated and co-sponsored to provide free health treatment for his constituents at the Ogidi Banni Primary Health Care Centre , Ilorin on Monday.
It was also done to reduce the financial barriers the beneficiaries may have experienced while trying to access health services.
Mr Ben Ajah , Director of Human Resources, PCN, Mr Oba Bernard Eche, Daudu Banni, Alhaji Sulaiman Oba, Olori Muslimat Olokanle, Barrister Abdulmajeed Oloriegbe , the senator’s wife, Alhaja Maimunat Oloriegbe and other dignitaries attended the event.
Apart from the beneficiaries getting free treatment and drugs, the diabetic patients also got free glucometers and test strips while there had earlier been an awareness talk on diabetes by Olusola Oduse.
She also spoke at length on foods to eat and avoid ,how to manage the disease and other important points.
The senator noted that the free medical outreach having been flagged off in Ogidi Banni, Ilorin West local government, that of Ilorin South local government will according to him hold in Okaka, the free medical outreach in Ilorin East will be held at Oke Suna while that of Asa local government will hold in Alapa.
Oloriegbe said the free medical outreach was done in order that his constituents could get free health treatment and free drugs while awareness on diabetes prevention and healthy living was given a special attention.
He noted that the programme was organized in partnership with ROCHE International saying ‘they have supported in training our health workers and also donated glucometers but the glucometers cannot be used without the test strips and we have therefore provided what will last every patient for six months’.
Senator Oloriegbe , a medical doctor , who wore a stethoscope around his neck and also wore a white coat, later gave reasons for doing this and the significance of his action.
‘I wore a white coat and also wore a stethoscope around my neck for four reasons ; to show that despite participation in politics you should still have a second address , you must be a professional or engage in an unskilled job you can also be a businessperson doing business that is legitimate and verifiable not just saying you are a middle man so even if you want to play party politics or seek an elective office you should have a job.
Iam a medical doctor I had practiced for years before joining politics the political party I supported lost election in 2003 and I returned to my profession I deliberately used myself as an example, the fact that I could not get senate nomination to retain my parliament seat next year does not mean it would be the end because I have a second address , even a third address . My first address is actually being a health practitioner and I had practiced for at least fifteen years before seeking elective office before I came back in 2011 I was doing my job as a health practitioner and had even gone for further training , in October 2006 I got a Master’s degree in Consulting and Coaching for Change, (an executive programme jointly run by the University of Oxford, U.K and HEC Business School, Paris). . This made me become a professional consultant on organization management so I can fall back to all these and it has enabled me to stand in my truth . that is why despite not getting party nomination I didn’t say ‘oh ,work has ended’ the trust placed on me is to deliver and you can see that I have been doing many projects and I will sustain the tempo and at the end of my tenure I can fall back to others things I had been doing.
Before saying you want to seek an elective office, you must have gotten something doing and be properly trained,.
You need proper education and experience before saying you want to hold a political office so that you can serve the people very well . Iam a senator Iam a trained medical doctor, I was a state lawmaker and a trained organization consultant and I had practiced for years before becoming a senator and it made it easy for me to make meaningful contributions and perform effectively as a member of senate committees.
Government and governance is complex you are dealing with a lot of issues you have to read, analyze and respond appropriately . You don’t just finish participating in NYSC or have an OND and say you want to go to senate or you want to do this and that without the needed experience and knowledge’ he said.
The senator also suggested what Nigerians should make their guiding principle when it comes to choosing their leaders.
‘Electors should consider capacity, knowledge and competence so that we can get the desired results and good governance so that things can change for the better. There must be alternatives because once there are none. the electors will be left with no option than to settle for what they have. Having a competent person will make a difference, the educated people should join politics and participate because if people don’t present themselves, who will the voters consider as alternative option? I joined politics to serve my people and I can easily go back to my job’ he submitted.
Oloriegbe later joined other health practitioners to attend to the medical needs of his constituents at the event-Team@orientactualmags.com
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