TheCable

Bukola Saraki, a former president of the senate and presidential hopeful, says the country will not develop if citizens use their disposable income to pay for healthcare.

Disposable income refers to funds available for a person to spend after tax deduction.

Speaking on Sunday at a meeting with delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akure, Ondo state, Saraki said with as little as N200, residents of Kwara had access to basic healthcare while he was a governor.

He said it is possible for citizens to benefit from basic healthcare that is “almost free”.

“Throughout my career, I have shown that I have the capacity to make sacrifices,” he said.

“I have shown leadership and competence when it comes to creating jobs, providing almost-free and affordable healthcare, empowering our young people to reach their full potential, and finding innovative solutions to the problems that confront us.

“As governor of Kwara state, we started working on universal healthcare. With as little as N200, people in my home state were able to receive basic healthcare.

“When I was the senate president, we singlehandedly passed a law that makes it compulsory for the government to provide more affordable healthcare in basic healthcare facilities across the country.

“This is because I believe that no country can develop when its citizens still use their disposable income to pay for health services.”

The former governor also said he has the requisite skills to address Nigeria’s problems.

“I am ready, willing and able to play my role as our party’s presidential flagbearer, because I believe that I have the necessary skills to fix Nigeria; the necessary network to bring in more jobs, opportunities and investment into the country; and the necessary backbone to hold people accountable as we work to address insecurity across the nation,” he said.