'If a Mad Man is About To Be President, We Should Be Told,' NMA Calls for Psychiatric Tests for All Candidates
- The Nigerian Medical Association has called for a psychiatric evaluation for all candidates contesting the 2023 elections
- NMA's president said it is important for Nigerians to know the health status of those who they will be voting at the polls
- According to the NMA, medical evaluations will help Nigerians know if the candidate are fit to hold the positions they are vying for
The Nigerian government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been urged to mandate candidates contesting various elective positions in the 2023 general elections to psychiatric tests.
The call for psychiatric evaluation for the presidential candidates and others ahead of the 2023 elections was made by the national president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
Source: UGC
Punch reports that Uche Ojinmah assured that the evaluation will provide a comprehensive view of the state of the body system of those aspiring to hold political offices across Nigeria.
Listing a litany of tests that the candidates should be mandated to take, Ojinmah noted that Nigerians can through these evaluations have first-hand information about the state of health and fitness of those they want to vote into power.
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His words:
"Simple medical check-ups such as chest X-ray, cardiac echocardiography, abdominal ultrasound scan, urinalysis, kidney function test, liver function test, blood pressure and blood glucose assessment will give one a comprehensive view of the state of the body system.
“Sadly, people applying for top-level jobs like Chief Medical Director or Medical Director in our public service are made to undergo these tests while those contesting for executive and legislative posts don’t.’’
“We also want them to undergo psychiatric evaluation. These shall exhaustively evaluate the people vying for the ultimate job in Nigeria."
Ojinmah further added that to achieve this, the NMA could be saddled with the responsibility of setting up an independent panel to carry out tests for candidates ahead of the elections.
According to Ojnmah, the result of every test conducted should be made public as the citizens have a right to know the health status of the candidates contesting to lead them.
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Nigerians have been assured of a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in the forthcoming 2023 polls.
The assurance was handed to Nigerians by the commissioner for information and voter education for the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to the commission, the INEC chairman's position is a serious one and Mahmood Yakubu cannot be sacked without due process followed.
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The chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, had earlier said that the commission has no power to force candidates to debate.
He said this during the commission's quarterly consultative meeting in Abuja on Thursday, October 27.
The INEC boss acknowledged that most candidates are scared to debate for fear of making mistakes while attempting probing questions.
Source: Legit.ng
