People with Disabilities (PWDs) in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have resolved with to mobilise their kind accross the country for the collection of the Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC) to ensure victory of the Bola Tinubu/Kashim Shettima presidential ticket in 2023.
The APC PWDs also agreed to set up a Campaign Council for Tinubu/Shettima presidential project, knowing that APC is for Nigerians and Nigerians are for APC.
They said this in a communique’ issued at the end of a strategic meeting of the zonal APC PWDs leaders and the national leader, Tolu Bankole at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Friday.
The group also called on state governments to ensure immediate passage and domestication of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
The communique’ reads in parts:
“We resolved to take a radical shift from business as usual where giving handouts such as wheelchairs, cups of staples, spaghetti, among others in the name of empowerment is all PWDs benefit.
“Therefore, we have marshalled plans to mobilize PWDs for APC victory in all elections and consequently secure a better life and economic prosperity for our members.
“We will go back to our states and zones to establish all inclusive PWDs campaign structure to the polling units to work for the re -election of our Governors and other candidates of the party. While doing this, we will respect the party’s constitution and leadership structure.
“In a bid to engender unity in our ranks, reconciliatory moves are ongoing at the National, Zonal and State levels to pacify all members of the community.
“Our quest to change the economic fortunes of the members of the PWDs community through dignifying, resourceful and sustainable opportunities will gain momentum soon. We will put in place workable plans and programmes, designed in recognition of the peculiarities of the needs and challenges of each zone.
“Approvals have been given to all zonal leaders to initiate and implement programmes in their zones and the respective states. We will scale up our advocacy for better life for PWDs via economic empowerment and financial inclusion.
“A workshop to train, re-orientate and improve significantly the capacity of PWDs leaders at Zonal and State levels is billed for the first week of August in Abuja.
“The only gift and enduring legacy any governor can bequeath to the PWDs community is to domesticate the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 in his state.
“We are looking forward to seeing the appointment of PWDs as Ministers, Commissioners, Chairpersons of major statutory boards and parastatals of government henceforth.
“APC, Zonal Leaders passed a vote of confidence on the APC, National Leader, PWDs, Hon Tolu Bankole for his sterling and unifying leadership since assuming office.”
