Ngige lashes out at Ndigbo for crying marginalisation where there is none adding that Buhari is fitter than 80% of Nigerians

LABOUR minister Dr Chris Ngige has hit back at President Muhammadu Buhari's critics saying that his boss is physically fitter than 80% of Nigerians and has dismissed as mischief the suggestion that this government is marginalising Igbos.

Since assuming office in 2015, President Buhari has flown abroad no fewer than half a dozen times for medical treatment, raising questions about his suitability to continue in office for another four years. President Buhari has also come under fierce criticism over the lopsided nature of his political appointments, they have been heavily skewed in favour of the northwest, with the southeast geo-political zone getting very little.

Both factors, together with President Buhari's reluctance to take on rampaging Fulani cattle herdsmen who have been on a killing spree of late, have fuelled political opposition to the government. This has prompted several high-profile members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to decamp to the main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with several of them expected to stand against the president in next February's elections.

Himself an Igbo, who was once the governor of Anambra State, Dr Ngige has, however, come to the defence of President Buhari faulting claims that Ndigbo were being marginalised under this administration. Speaking in Awka, he  asked his kinsmen to shun sentiments and expand their political horizons by thinking positively and supporting President Buhari’s second term bid.

Dr Ngige said: “There’s nothing that is being shared by the Buhari government that is not equitably done. Buhari has five flagship projects including the Lagos-Ibadan-Ilorin Expressway, the Mambilla power plant, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway, the Second Niger Bridge and the East-West road. You can see how it was shared, so, how are you Igbos left out and why are you crying marginalisation?

"Why are you crying wolf when there is none and it is this mentality that I’m telling you people that you have to come out from. All I’m saying in effect is that you Igbo must do political engineering and the Igbo of the southeast must step forward to support a Buhari presidency for 2019/2023 and vote for it with all their strengths as if they do not, they will not be left out in the power-sharing that will come thereafter like was done at this period.”

He also declared that President Buhari is healthier than 80% of Nigerians, debunking the claim that he was too old for leadership. According to Dr Ngige, President Buhari was actually at the best age to offer mature leadership.

Dr Ngige cited the case of Malaysia where when the country was in trouble politically and economically, it had to beckon on a 93 year-old Dr Mahathir Mohammad to lead it as prime minister. He said Nigerians should count themselves blessed to have such a personality as President Buhari as their leader, saying that age and experience were two indices the president had, that could not be found in other presidential aspirants.

“I’m a medical doctor, so I can tell you authoritatively that he is healthier than most people who see his health as an issue. He sits for over eight hours during our executive meetings and while some of us would be going for tea break to stretch our legs, Mr President would sit on his seat continuously, drinking only water.

“I can tell you authoritatively as a medical doctor of over three decades standing that Mr President is physically and mentally healthy. He is healthier than 80% of Nigerians,” Dr Ngige added.