The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, CCD has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to assent the Bill for an Act To Repeal The Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 And Enact The Electoral Act 2021, To Regulate The Conduct Of Federal, State And Area Councils In The Federal Capital Territory Elections; And For Related Matters.
CCD made the call in a statement signed by its Executive Director, David Anyaele, in commemoration of the 2021 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with the theme: “Leadership and participation of PWDs toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19”
According to Anyaele, the bill provides for the removal of barriers that hinders citizens with disabilities from participating in the electoral process on equal basis with others.
He urged the President to sign the Bill without further delay, to open space for necessary actions towards 2023 General Elections.
Speaking about the domestication of the National Disability Act, David Anyeale mentioned that, “it is important for State governments to make inclusion and participation of citizens with disabilities in governance and development programmes a priority, as it is very expensive and difficult to live with disability without government support.”
CCD commended the National Assembly in particular the Federal House of Representatives for the establishment of an ad-hoc Committee on Disability Affair with Hon. Miriam Onuoha as its Chairperson and also called on the Senate and States House of Assemblies to establish similar ad-hoc Disability Committees to ensure that issues of PWDs are given priority at State and Federal level.
The organization also urged other organizations of, and for persons with disabilities “not to relent in their efforts of promoting and creating awareness on the disability issues at Local, State and Federal level to enhance public understanding, as nothing about us with us.”