APC PWDs throw weight behind Tinubu, Ganduje's leadership

'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja

DAILY COURIER - All Progressives Congress (APC), Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) have lauded the leadership of the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party's chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.

The vote of confidence was passed today during a solidarity visit by PWDs stakeholders to the national chairman at the party's headquarters.

While receiving the PWDs delegations, Ganduje appealed to Nigerians to bear with the seeming difficult policies of the Tinubu led government saying that it was occasioned by the neglect and policy summersaults of the past administrations.

He pledged to deploy skill development as a way to change the fortunes of Persons With Disabilities in Nigeria.

"President Bola Tinubu from his extensive polices is taking Nigeria to the next level and there is need to bear with him because what is being is an accumulation of so many years of neglect, policy summersaults and other disjointed decisions by previous administrations.

"While commend the APC PWDs leaders for the confidence reposed in his leadership, he said: "We have to commend you for being here with us to pass vote of confidence on our leadership. It shows your commitment and your love for the party.

"What we need to change the living standard of your members is skill acquisition in relation to the type of challenge that you have. It will not be a universal skill acquisition. It will be a specific skill acquisition prescribed for the type of challenge for your members. Some can use their voice and some can use their legs, and some can even use signal. So we are full aware of the challenges and we are here to solve the challenges," Ganduje stated.

Speaking on behalf of the PWDs stakeholders, APC national leader, PWDs, Hon Tolu Bankole passed a vote of confidence on the President and chairman of the party for their inclusive leadership.

He equally praised the first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for touching the lives of vulnerable Nigerians through her Renewed Hope Initiative across the country.

"Your Excellency Sir, this is our first meeting with you as Persons With Disabilities, PWDs since your assumption of office as the National Chairman of our great party. 

"Thus, it is apt to use this visit to say publicly that PWDs is better under His Excellency Abdullahi Ganduje than any previous party administration.

"Let me also use this medium to pledge the support of all clusters of APC PWDs in Nigeria and in diaspora to Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose Renewed Hope policies are beginning to birth a paradigm shift from a country for the highs and the mighties to a country where the child of a nobody can become somebody without knowing anybody. From an import dependent economy to a self sufficient economy. 

"Mr President can count on us as loyal party members that we will support his administration and our PWDs friendly National Chairman to guarantee internal cohesion in our party as he takes on the onerous task of ensuring that disability does not become inability for us.

"Permit me to commend the Renewed Hope Initiative of Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu which is targeting PWDs and other vulnerable segment of the society. Our governors and national assembly members have all shown commitment to alleviating the plights of PWDs" Bankole said.

The party chieftain used the opportunity to advocate for the total passage of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act by the remaining state to guarantee a new lease of life for PWDs in Nigeria.

Bankole  added: "Six years after the passage of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, only 13 states have demonstrated measures to domesticate the Act. They include Lagos, Anambra, Ekiti, Ondo, Plateau, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kogi, Niger, Kwara and the FCT.

"We call on the state governments who are yet to domesticate fully the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, to do so without further delay and establish Disability Commission as enshrined in the Act. This is important because failure in this regard is tacit endorsement of discrimination and other harmful practices against Persons With Disabilities".