TQM report,
Some Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Members who are persons with disabilities (PWDs) on Wednesday 15th December, 2021 paid an advocacy visit to Distinguished Senator Bukola Saraki in his Abuja residence , to seek for the full inclusion of PWDs in the Working Committee of the PDP from National to Ward levels of the party as it is in other political parties.
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The group under the aegis of National Physically Challenged PDP Delegates made an appeal to Distinguished Senator Bukola Saraki to add his voice to their quest for inclusion of PWDs in the Working Committees of the party at all levels.
The leader of the group, Abdullahi Jugunu in his speech, appreciated Senator Saraki for being the only aspirant in 2019 who identified and mobilized effectively PWDs who were delegates during the presidential primaries.
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Jugunu also appreciated the former Senate President for superintending the passage of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disability Prohibition Bill in 2018 which has resulted to existence of disability law in Nigeria today.
He then went further to solicit for Senator Dr. Saraki’s support for the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Working Committees of the party.
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PpIn his response, Saraki informed the delegates that he has always been one man who frowns seriously at discrimination against PWDs. According to him, he has always been a supporter of Persons with Disabilities.
He pointed at one of the delegates who hails from Kwara State, Hon. Timothy as an example.
- “We in Kwara have never looked down on Timothy or treated him differently on account of his Disability”
Saraki went on to assure the delegates that their request will be treated with the expected and required seriousness it deserves.
He said he will get into action immediately by engaging His Excellency, Emmanuel Udom who is the chairman of the PDP Constitution Review Committee and will ensure that their demands are met, as they are legitimate and human rights issues.
His response was quite impressive and certainly there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Hon. Timothy had earlier confirmed Saraki’s statement by informing the house how Saraki led other members of the party in Kwara to make him and several others occupy high positions both at the state and federal levels.
Other speakers at the event were Women representative of the group, Barr Mitchell Joseph Iniobong and Mr Sunday Aloa of International Republican Institute (IRI) and they are all hitting on same issue.
TQM reports that highpoint of the event was handing over of memoranda as prepared in an earlier meeting of National Physically Challenged Delegates and sponsored by IRI in October 2021, stating areas of concern in the party’s constitution that requires amendment to include Persons with Disabilities in the party affairs.
