2021 National Convention of PDP in Abuja, October 30 to 31
PWDs lament exclusion from PDP NWC
[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria have lamented their exclusion from the newly-elected National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which emerged after the party’s national convention held in Abuja last Saturday.
PDP had, last Saturday, gathered at Eagle Square, Abuja to elect members of its National Working Committee (NWC) in a free and fair national convention which produced new national officers of the party. But the PWDs have kicked against the outcome of the successful exercise, saying that the party did not consider electing their members into the 21-member NEC.
Executive Director of Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), Mr. David Anyaele, in a statement made available to newsmen Tuesday, described the development as incomprehensible and unacceptable; insisting that it was at variance with the letter and spirit of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018.
In the statement titled “Shameless Exclusion of Persons with Disabilities in PDP Exco,” the CCD boss said the outcome of the PDP’s convention was a sad reminder of the pains and agony the party caused the disability community during their 16 years reign at the centre.
Anyaele drew the attention of PDP leaders to the fact that they should know that the days of tokenism and charity-based approach to addressing disability issues in Nigeria have gone since January 17, 2019 when President Mohammadu Buhari signed the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018.
“It is incomprehensible to note the non-inclusion of persons with disabilities in the leadership positions of the Peoples Democratic Party in the just concluded convention of the party in Abuja.
“It is unacceptable to also note that out of the 21 elective positions of the National Executive Committee of the party, none is set aside for Persons with Disabilities, neither is there any position for PWDs leader in the party hierarchy.
“This is a sad reminder of the pains and agony the party caused the disability community during their 16 years reign at the centre. Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, PDP leaders and the then Presidents of Nigeria denied assent to the National Disability Bill. The then Bill, now an Act, provides for the full integration Of Persons With Disabilities into the society and established the National Commission for their education, health care, social, economic and civil rights; and for related matters,” Anyaele said.
According to the CCD Executive Director, the Disability Act provides in section 30 – that Persons with disabilities shall be encouraged to fully participate In politics and public life; that Government shall actively promote an environment in which persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in the conduct of public affairs without discrimination; non-governmental organizations and associations concerned with the public and political life of the country and activities and administration of political parties.
He noted that this provision was in line with section 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which provides that States Parties shall guarantee to persons with disabilities political rights and the opportunity to enjoy them on an equal basis with others, and shall undertake to ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives, including the right and opportunity for persons with disabilities to vote and be elected among others.
The statement further read: “The non-inclusion and provision of office of PDP disability leader in the PDP constitution and the deliberate exclusion of persons with disabilities in the elective positions is a pointer that the future of the disability community in Nigeria is doomed in terms of participation in governance if PDP clicks to power come 2023.
“We are calling on the PDP leadership to take appropriate measure to implement section 30 of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018. The section provides for the full inclusion of citizens with disabilities in the party elective positions.”
Anyaele therefore suggested that the PDP should include State and National Disability Leadership positions in its constitution to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities in the party structure as obtainable in other parties’ constitution.
“With our project on enhancing access to justice and political participation of young, women and elderly persons with disabilities which is supported by Voice Nigeria, CCD is committed to the engagement of political parties, in particular the Peoples Democratic Party, to enhance persons with disabilities participation in party politics,” he said.
