Over 8,000 persons with disabilities excluded from political activities ― CCD

The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CDD) has stated that over 8,000 persons with disabilities in Nigeria have been excluded from the political activities heralding the upcoming 2023 elections

CCD Executive Director, David Anyaele, made this known while touching on Nigerians with disabilities and 2023 general elections on Monday in Lagos.

Anyaele said that persons with disabilities’ efforts in participating in the forthcoming general elections reveal that most political party programmes and activities are not inclusive of persons with disabilities.

He noted that PWDs are missing in most of the political party hierarchies as political party conventions were conducted with the election of party leaders and flag-bearers from the State Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship and for the office of the president without any persons with disabilities.

He cited a case where an aspirant with a disability, Mr Aduku Emmanuel, who had won the APC primary election (20 votes) for Ankpa 1 State Constituency for the Kogi State House of Assembly, only for his party to substitute his name.

David said other parties in many states did not allow PWDs to be near the party’s nomination forms due to the high cost of nomination forms.

According to him, “through our project on Access to Justice and Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities, we have engaged the leadership of Inter-Party Advisory Council in different states, Lagos inclusive, and at the National level on removing barriers to citizens with disabilities’ participation in the programmes and activities of political parties.”

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He, therefore, noted that efforts are being made by IPAC to ensure their members comply with the provisions of the Disability Rights Act and INEC Framework on PWDs.

Anyaele explained that the successful passage and assent to the 2022 Electoral Act has opened space for greater participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process.

The ED noted that the CCD is pleased that the 18 years of struggle to secure an Electoral Act that recognizes the peculiarities of persons with disabilities in the electoral process has come to an end with the new Electoral Act.