Stop Shielding Fake Drug Dealers, Let NAFDAC Work– Tinubu’s Aide Tells Peter Obi
Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, has accused former presidential candidate Peter Obi of obstructing the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in its fight against fake drugs and substandard beverages.
His accusation follows Obi’s criticism of NAFDAC’s decision to shut down several markets in Anambra State, where counterfeit drugs and expired beverages were discovered in large quantities.
After visiting the affected markets, Obi lamented that they were “being shut down because of the actions of a few.”
While advocating for small businesses, he argued, “You do not cripple an Ogbo Ogwo market and surrounding markets for several days in the name of enforcement.”
Reacting, Olusegun said he had initially refrained from commenting on Obi’s “populistic patronage” in recent months but felt compelled to speak when the lives and safety of millions of Nigerians were at stake.
He insisted that all well-meaning Nigerians must take a stand, warning, “Else we are one step away from being exterminated due to the consumption of fake foods, drugs, and other items.”
Addressing Obi directly, he said, “You, of all people, must understand what the jurisdictions of NAFDAC are and that beyond drugs, they are in charge of ensuring everything we consume directly, including food items, beverages, water, etc., is vetted and deemed safe for consumption.
“When have you turned into a private investigator or an intelligence officer to conclude which sections of the Onitsha Bridge Head market are involved in unwholesome practices? Or are you more interested in protecting the livelihood of some traders—some of whom should be in jail for crimes against humanity—than protecting the lives and health of millions of Nigerians you aspire to lead as president one day?
“Nigerians would like to know why you rushed to Onitsha to obstruct NAFDAC from carrying out their legitimate work of combating illicit drugs and substandard and unhealthy foods.”
Olusegun suggested that Obi’s stance could be perceived as an attempt to protect fake drug dealers whose activities endanger millions. He concluded with a direct call to Obi: “Dear Mr. Peter Obi, kindly search your conscience.”
