By Folasade Akpan
Mr Jake Epelle, the Chief Executive Officer of the Albino Foundation, says he will remain grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for the amended Electoral Act 2022 for including people living with disabilities.
He gave the commendation on Sunday in Abuja, when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum.
Epelle, who said that the Albino Foundation led the move for review of the Electoral Act component that has disability, said “the efforts of the community of persons living with disabilities with regards to inclusiveness in electoral processes has paid off.
“You know, we led the move that repealed what can be classified as draconian law 2010 Electoral Act, Section 56, sub-section two that says that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may reasonably accommodate persons with disability.
“We came up with a position and the National Assembly invited me to come and present that.
“So, when I was invited, I told them, it is not only me; so I took the community of persons with disability.
“We went and we addressed the joint session of the house and today, to the glory of God, that has been repealed.
“The 2022 Electoral Act, Section 54, sub-section one and two captured disability.
“There has never been any time that any Electoral Act has been inclusive as what we have today.
“That is why we were at the forefront asking Mr President, you have signed the act, you have another opportunity to write your name in gold and sign the Electoral Act because it is inclusive and he did.
“For me, this is one thing that President Buhari has done that the community will never forget.
“No president has done that and I personally will remain grateful to him.”
Epelle said that getting the foundation on the course of the disability movement was to ensure that albinism was rightfully captured as a disability.
This, he said, was because the United Nations captured albinism as a disability and to engage better, it had to be in tune with other movements that were affiliated with the disability cause.
According to him, the right term to refer to them is “Person(s) with Albinism” and not albinos as they are popularly called.
NAN reports that the Electoral Bill which was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on Feb. 25 has paved the way for persons living with disability to be incorporated into the electoral process. (NAN)
