•Says PDP has portrayed self as enemy of ‘disables’
The former Special Assistant to Oyo State Governor on people with disability and founder and pioneer President of Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Prince Paul Ayodele Adelabu has commended President Mohammad Buhari for supporting people living with disabilities in the country.
Adelabu while speaking with our correspondent on Monday said, in January 2019 he signed National Disability bill and establishment of commission for ‘disables’ into law and approved the commission this year.
He also tasked the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde to emulate the initiative to make life comfortable for the people who are less privilege in the society.
He said: “Oyo state should emulate PMB and domesticate the national disability bill and establish her own commission. Plateau, Lagos, Ondo Bauchi, Yobe,Kano, Kogi and others have done so.
“As the initiator, founder and pioneer President of Joint national association of persons with disabilities ( JONAPWD) in 1992. With other members of the Exco established state branches in all the 36 States and FCT Abuja.
“For almost 20years we struggled for a Disability bill which were approved by the national assembly but President Obasanjo, Yaradua, Jonathan and PDP refused to sign it into law until we met PMB at a town hall meeting in Lafia Nasarawa in 2015. I was the spokesman who on behalf of others requested for his wish to sign the bill.
“PMB promised to do it once it gets to his table. PDP has been a great enemy of people with disabilities.
“Let’s ask Oyo Gov to do same as early as possible. Gov Makinde personally is disability friendly and I believe if called upon he will domesticate it instead of a new state law.
“We are over 31m people with disabilities in Nigeria and can determine the President of this country if a party mobilise us very well. Our population is more than many nations of the world even in Europe”, he said.
