Tinubu Manifesto:  No Plan For Nigeria’s 27 Million PWDs

—It’s Unfortunate—Leader Of PWDs  

Presidential Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has failed to reveal his plans for the over 27 million Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the country.

Tinubu released an 80-page document titled “Renewed Hope 2023 – Action Plan for a Better Nigeria” as his manifesto on Friday 21, October.

The document contains programmes to be persued by his administration if elected president next year.

It however does not contain any detailed plans for PWDs who, according to the World Health Organisation(WHO), number above 27 million in population- more than ten percent of the population of the country.

Data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ) shows that 87,083 PWDs have registered to vote as of Monday 1st August 2022.

The manifesto shows the former Lagos State governor will only prioritise National Security, Economy, Agriculture, Power, Oil and Gas, Transportation and Education if elected as President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor next February.

The only reference to PWDs in the 80-page document is on pages 62 and 63 where it discusses social intervention programmes.

It states, “Social Investment Programs: Introduce new social investment programs supporting the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) particularly among the poor. 

“These investment programs will improve business productivity, widen access to affordable finance and capital markets and expand businesses such that beneficiaries can offer employment to others. Recipients shall receive high-quality, low-cost business development support services. These programs and initiatives will give priority access to PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES(Sic), women, and young people.”

But the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, has made provisions to make life easier for PWDs, many of which are yet to be implemented by the government more than three years after coming into operation.

Access to public buildings and removing barriers to healthcare are among issues listed in the Act.

The APC  National Leader of Persons With Disabilities, Tolu Bankole, had on August 4, boasted that Tinubu would get over  25 million votes from PWDs in the 2023 presidential election.

But based on the content of the party’s manifesto, it is doubtful if the PWDs would vote for the candidate.

Speaking with THE WHISTLER on Monday, Chairman of the National Association of Persons With Disability, Abuja Chapter, Agbo Christian, said the inclusion of PWDs in government’s plans lies in the hands of the presidential candidates.

He said, “It is unfortunate that some politicians have not seen the need for disability inclusion.

“The inclusion of PWDs depends on individual politicians because political parties are not carried along when individuals are drafting their manifestoes.

“The fact that President Buhari is good to PWDs does not mean that his party or other candidates of the party would be good to PWDs. After all, not all APC states have domesticated Disability Laws, States like Imo, Ebonyi, Cross River, Kebbi, and many others.”

He urged PWDs in Nigeria to only vote for candidates who articulate disability issues in their manifestoes.

“PWDs will not leave Presidential Candidates like that because if we do, we will retrogress. So, we must engage them to make commitments towards our issues that we will use to hold them accountable but it is unfortunate that in a time like this when the whole world is talking about inclusion, APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu will forget to mention PWDs in his manifesto,” he said.

The other frontline candidates, including the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi respectively, are yet to release their own manifestoes.