The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has stated that he was not under pressure to seek election for the Governor of Ebonyi State in 2015.
He however stated that if invited by the people to contest election, he would give it consideration.
The Minister was speaking against the backdrop of speculation that he was favoured to take over from Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Martins Elechi, who is said to have anointed a particular person from the Southern part of the state.
There were also reports that President Goodluck Jonathan would effect a major cabinet reshuffle very soon.
Ironically, Ebonyi South boasts of such personalities like Chukwu; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Pius Anyim, and a former National Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party and chief of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
Others are former Deputy Governor of the state, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, and the incumbent Deputy Governor of the State, Dave Umahi, an engineer.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Chukwu said he would give it a consideration if invited to be governor.
He said, “I am not under pressure to be Governor of any state because you know I was born in Lagos State. So may be it is the people of Lagos State that wants me to be their Governor. But my parents were born in Ebonyi State and I have not seen anybody in Ebonyi State putting reassure on me to be Governor.
“But let me also say something: How did I become a Minister? I was Deputy Provost of a Medical School after been a Chief Medical Director. I was a Lecturer as Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and I was invited to be Minister by President Goodluck Jonathan. If the people invite me, I will consider the invitation.”
The minister, who also admitted that the country needed a Surgeon-General, which has been canvassed by the Nigerian Medical Association, however, insisted that constitutional issues needed to be addressed before the office could be created.
He said, “The President has in principle accepted that there is need for a Surgeon-General but there is some distance between principle and practice.
We need to draw up the core responsibilities of a Surgeon-General.”
ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
LAGOS: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
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