Gyang Bere, Jos
The Innocent Ujah Presidential Campaign Organisation has pushed back against allegations that the Nigerian Medical Association’s (NMA) frontline presidential candidate was sacked as Director-General of the Nigeria Medical Research Institute (NIMR).
Dr Chris Piwuna, DG, Prof Ujah Campaign Organisation (PUCO), said that allegations by a faceless and nonexistent group called Coalition Against Corruption (COACOR) are laughable.
Dr Piwuna said a statement that what the group without a fixed address considered as a sack was a general disengagement of all heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) by the Federal Government in 2016.
The statement reads:
‘At the outset of this government, virtually most heads of MDAs under the federal ministries were disengaged (NIMR, NPHCDA, NACA, NHIS, NCDC).
‘It was not only Prof Ujah, mni, that was disengaged back then.
‘It is curious how the latest allegation is coming a few days to the election.
‘It is almost four years since Prof Ujah left NIMR and now has been appointed by the same government to pioneer a new university is a mark of integrity and the will of God.’
According to Dr Piwuna, such an important appointment could not have been made without background security checks.
The DG emphasised that Prof Ujah, a professor of over 20 years standing and over 40 years in the medical practice, would bring the desired improvement to the health sector.
According to him, Prof Ujah is a fellow of National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), and a fellow of the International College of Surgeons (ICS).
He also pointed to Prof Ujah being a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (UK) and a recipient of several fellowships, with many national and international honours and awards.