By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Ms Patience Key, has called on the National Assembly to prioritise  mental healthcare reforms, economic relief, and public-interest bills.

Key, who is running alongside YPP Presidential Candidate Dr Peter Agada, gave the advice in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

Key urged the National Assembly to recognise that protecting Nigerians required addressing the socio-economic conditions leading citizens into distress, rather than criminalising attempted suicide.

She expressed disagreement with the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio’s position on the proposed bill, saying such bill will make distressed people and their families afraid to seek assistance because of prosecution and stigma.

“Protecting Nigerians requires more than debating what punishment should follow a suicide attempt.

“It requires confronting the circumstances that can leave people overwhelmed, economically stranded and unable to obtain the support they need,” she said.

Key noted that financial hardship, loss of livelihoods, displacement, isolation, and sudden homelessness contribute significantly to psychological distress.

“The World Health Organisation recognises financial problems, loss and other difficult life circumstances among the factors associated with suicidal behaviour.

“These are not reasons to stigmatise people. They are reasons to strengthen prevention, treatment and social protection,” she said.

Key said that removing punishment was not an endorsement of suicide; but a decision to make protection, treatment and recovery the priority.

The YPP vice-presidential candidate also criticised what she described as delays in passage of bills on key public-interest issues, including diaspora voting rights and the rehabilitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex.

Key cited the constitutional amendment bill on diaspora voting, which passed a second reading in the House of Representatives in November 2024, still  pleading before the National Assembly.

Key urged the National Assembly to utilise its legislative, budgetary, and oversight mandates to fund accessible mental health services, sustainable employment programs, enterprise development, and housing safeguards.

“Mental-health reform should be accompanied by funding for accessible services, crisis response and continuing care.

“Employment interventions should connect people to sustainable livelihoods.

“Enterprise programmes should help viable businesses overcome practical barriers to growth.

“Housing and planning decisions should respect the dignity of families and provide appropriate safeguards where displacement is contemplated,” he said.

She commended Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong and other lawmakers for advancing a bill to decriminalise attempted suicide and strengthen mental health support.

Key also advised government to address the circumstances that caused people to go into depression.

“This does not mean that hardship inevitably leads to suicidal thoughts, or that every suicide attempt can be attributed to government policy.

“Suicide is complex, and individuals’ circumstances differ. But that complexity is an argument for a comprehensive respons.

“People experiencing mental-health difficulties are not weak, morally deficient or undeserving of dignity,” she said.

Key also advised citizens to seek mental healthcare, saying seeking mental health care is a sign of strength adding that individual worth is not defined by temporary economic or emotional adversity.

She urged the electorate to participate peacefully in the upcoming 2027 general elections and thoroughly evaluate candidates across all political platforms based on performance, integrity, and protection of human dignity.