‘To end insecurity, 5m PWDs ready to vote Atiku’

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

A group of associations of physically disable persons is set to rally over five million persons living with disability to campaign and vote for the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the February 16, 2019 presidential poll. Concerned with the need to put an end to insurgent activities and other forms of violence that result in maiming of people and causing bodily harm, the group hoped that a presidency under Atiku Abubakar will find lasting solutions to insurgency in Nigeria. The group under the aegis of Atiku/ Obi Vision 4 Disabilities at a press conference in Abuja on Friday promised to galvanize and mobilize disabled persons eligible to vote to come out February 16 and vote Atiku Abubakar. Member associations under the group include: Nigerian Women with Disabilities, National Association for the Blind and Voice of Ability Initiative, among others. Speaking on behalf of the National Coordinator, Comrade Patience Aghimile Igbiti, the National Spokesman of the Atiku/ Obi Vision 4 Disabilities, Hon. Paul Danladi said it is unfortunate that over 25 million persons with disabilities (PWDs) have been marginalized by past governments while the current Buhari- led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration has done little in bettering the lots of physically challenged. The group lamented the increase in number of people being disabled on daily basis due to activities of insurgents, criminals and hoodlums that have rendered parts of the country unsafe for habitation. Danladi said the disabled are the most vulnerable apart from women and children in period of crises and violent situations. The group bemoaned continuous increase in number of internally delivered persons and camps across the country because the present government has failed to provide adequate security especially in the North East region. “We stand against violence crisis and insurgency activities because it results in increase number of persons living with disabilities”, he said He said the Atiku/Obi Vision 4 Disabilities “has declared our support for the realisation of the ambition of Atiku Abubakar to become Nigeria’s next president. “Atiku Abubakar has in the past done a lot in support of the physically challenged in different parts of the country and we know he will better our lots if he becomes President. “Though President Muhammadu Buhari has just signed the Disability Bill into law, it is our hope and prayer that Atiku will implement the Bill as Nigeria’s president.” The Deputy National Coordinator of the group, Kabiru Garba there are over five million PWDs with their PVC waiting earnestly to vote for Atiku because “it is our collective decisions to vote Atiku. “We believe that under Atiku/ Obi administration, persons living with disabilities will have a new lease of life, our problems will be attended to and we will feel wanted by the society once again, because presently the level of discrimination against our people could better be imagined “. “We cannot vote for people that does not have compassion for the physically challenged “. Executive Director, Nigerian Won with Disabilities, Pepsuzie Obi Aluko who is a Paralympics power lifter said it is only a visionary leader like Atiku that can motivate the Nigerian Paralympics team and bring out the best in them. She was optimistic that if Atiku is elected president, he will bring back the past glory of the Nigerian team in the international Paralympics competitions.