The 2023 presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to embrace his administration’s ‘Nigeria First Policy’ by trading his Escalade for Innoson, Nord or any made-in-Nigeria car.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, yesterday, the former vice president said the gesture would boost local industry more effectively than countless policy documents.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), had on Monday, given the green light to a ,’Nigeria First’ economic policy to give preference to locally produced goods and services in all government purchases.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who announced this after the FEC meeting in Abuja, had stated that the policy would soon be reinforced through an executive order.
‘This policy means Nigeria comes first in all procurement processes; no foreign goods or devices that are already being produced locally will be procured without a clear and justified reason.
‘Now this seeks to foster a new business culture that will be bold, confident, but also very, very Nigerian. It aims at making the government invest in our people and our industries by changing how the government spends money, how we procure, and how we also build our economy’, the minister added.
But responding yesterday, Atiku said the practice of travelling abroad for medical treatment, while advocating self-reliance, should come to an end.
He urged President Tinubu, as the advocate of the ‘Nigeria First”’ policy, to set an example by undergoing all his future medical check-ups at healthcare facilities within Nigeria.
The statement read: ‘The Tinubu administration’s latest Nigeria First mantra, paraded through the Federal Executive Council, is nothing but another tired PR stunt—designed to deceive, not deliver.
‘Nigerians have grown weary of hollow speeches. If this government is truly serious about local content and economic patriotism, it must start at the very top.
‘We challenge President Tinubu to stop the noise and trade in his beloved Escalade for an Innoson, Nord or any made-in-Nigeria car. That single act will do more to promote the local industry than a thousand policy memos.
‘Let’s see the ministers, those shameless Rolls-Royce connoisseurs, sweat it out in Nigerian-made vehicles, too. Or is Nigeria First only for the masses?’
Atiku stated further that Nigeria needed genuine dedication, and not this ongoing pretence.
‘Speaking of double standards, it’s time Mr. President shelved his love affair with Paris and London. If he’s serious about patriotism, his next vacation should be at Obudu Cattle Ranch, Yankari Game Reserve, or Erin Ijesha Waterfalls. Nigeria is beautiful unless, of course, the President thinks otherwise.
‘More importantly, the era of jetting out for medical tourism, while preaching self-reliance, must end. We demand that President Tinubu, champion of “Nigeria First”, conduct all future medical check-ups at LUTH, National Hospital Abuja, UCH Ibadan, or even the #41 billion Naira Akwa Ibom world-class hospital built by an uncommon transformer in Uyo.
‘If these hospitals are good enough for ordinary Nigerians, they should be good enough for their Commander-in-Chief. Anything less is sheer hypocrisy.
‘This government’s addiction to foreign luxuries while demanding sacrifice from suffering Nigerians, is the height of insincerity. True leadership isn’t photo-ops or soundbites, it’s setting the tone by example’.
