Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has maintained that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors) should not be forced to beg for what has already been formally agreed upon.

Speaking on his X handle on Sunday, Atiku, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), warned that the Federal Government risks deepening tensions in the health sector over unresolved welfare commitments.

Atiku stressed that the Federal Government had signed an agreement on the Professional Allowance Table, but reports indicate a reversal or delay in implementation—an action he described as a breach of trust and poor governance.

According to him, resident doctors, who remain central to the survival of Nigeria’s overstretched health system, continue to work under difficult conditions marked by long hours, inadequate remuneration, and poor infrastructure.

He revealed that key concerns include 19 months of unpaid Professional Allowance arrears, outstanding promotion arrears, and delays in the Medical Residency Training Fund, all of which have contributed to growing frustration among medical professionals.

‘Analysts have warned that the continued neglect of doctors’ welfare is accelerating the migration of healthcare workers to countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Saudi Arabia.

‘Every doctor Nigeria loses to the UK, Canada, or Saudi Arabia is a failure of leadership, not a failure of patriotism. You cannot ask people to serve a nation that refuses to honour its own word.

‘I stand with NARD. Pay what you owe. Honour what you signed. Or explain to 200 million Nigerians why their hospitals will go dark on Tuesday, ” Atiku wrote

Stakeholders alike urge the Federal Government to honour existing agreements, resolve outstanding payments, and demonstrate a genuine commitment to retaining medical professionals in the country.