By Becky Usman
Former General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Chief Frank Kokori, is currently hospitalized in Warri, Delta State, due to a kidney-related ailment. However, he has expressed distress over being left in a ‘third-class’ health facility and abandoned by the hospital.
Addressing the media from his hospital bed on Thursday, Kokori revealed that he was admitted to a private hospital in Warri but felt neglected in what he described as a ‘third-class’ health facility. In a Save our Soul (SOS) message, the elder statesman lamented his condition and urged journalists to mobilize and share his story.
Kokori, known for his significant role as a labor leader during General Sani Abacha’s military regime and his advocacy for the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, expressed his determination to survive the ailment and eventually expose the leaders of the nation.
The former NUPENG General Secretary disclosed that the hospital’s air conditioner, crucial for his condition, was switched off, possibly due to a shortage of diesel. He called on the media to spread the word about his plight, emphasizing that he had important information to share with the country.
“I have something to tell this country, please. Please, do your best,” Kokori appealed to journalists, urging them to highlight his situation. Despite facing challenges in the hospital, he expressed confidence that he would recover and vowed to shame the leaders of the country if he survived.
Kokori particularly criticized NUPENG for allegedly abandoning him during his health crisis, emphasizing that the union, which he once led, failed to provide adequate support. He pleaded for the air conditioner to be switched on, expressing concern that the current conditions were impacting his health.
“I’ve called on NUPENG that this is what they’ve done to their leaders. That NUPENG could not even take care of me. It’s sad. God bless everybody,” Kokori stated in his impassioned message from the hospital bed.