Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has taken a firm stand with Nigeria’s embattled doctors, openly backing the planned nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). The doctors are set to down tools from April 7 after the Federal Government reportedly halted the implementation of an already agreed allowance structure, a move Atiku has […]
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has taken a firm stand with Nigeria’s embattled doctors, openly backing the planned nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The doctors are set to down tools from April 7 after the Federal Government reportedly halted the implementation of an already agreed allowance structure, a move Atiku has now slammed as outright betrayal.
In a strongly worded reaction, Atiku said it is unacceptable for a government to sign an agreement and then walk away from it, especially when the lives of millions depend on the same professionals being sidelined.
He described resident doctors as the “last line of defence” in a struggling healthcare system, warning that pushing them further could trigger a dangerous collapse of hospital services across the country.
The former vice-president didn’t stop there — he pointed to unpaid allowances, delayed promotions, and stalled training funds as evidence of what he called deep-rooted neglect of the health sector.
He also warned that Nigeria is already losing its doctors in large numbers to countries like the UK and Canada, stressing that continued frustration will only accelerate the exodus.
Sending a direct message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, Atiku demanded urgent action to resolve the crisis.
His warning was blunt: honour the agreement or risk leaving millions of Nigerians without functioning hospitals.