By Emmanuel Mogbede
Mr Ayuba Gufwan, the Director, Beautiful Gate Handicapped Peoples Foundation, says Nigerians with disabilities owe the APC a debt of gratitude for signing into law the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities Bill.
He said this on Friday in Abuja at the pre-inauguration hangout organised by the Patriots in Defense of Democracy, a political pressure group where he donated wheelchairs and other walking aids to persons with disabilities.
Gufwan said that before the APC administration, it was like the birth of the commission would not see the light of the day.
He assured that with the in-coming administration of Sen. Bola Tinubu, the President-elect, Nigerians with disabilities would have a sigh of relief as issues concerning them would be on the front burner.
This, he said, was because they would be well represented in government and their welfare well taken care of.
He congratulated the beneficiaries of the items and advised them to put them in meaningful use and to note that: “disability is not a kiss of death but an obstacle waiting to be overcomes”.
Gufwan said the donation was his own way of giving back to the society and supporting the administration of Tinubu.
The event which took place at Unity Fountain, attracted several dignitaries including Folashade Ojo, the daughter of Tinubu the President-elect and Dr Charles Sylvester, Nollywood star.
Mr Tosin Adeyanju, convener of the Patriots in Defense of Democracy, said the event was to exhibit Tinubu’s kind gesture to vulnerable Nigerians and to show that nobody would be left out in his administration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Patriots in Defence of Democracy, had since March 26, been having a pre-inauguration hangout at the Unity Fountain.
While explaining that the daily pre-inauguration hangout was in solidarity with the mandate freely given by Nigerians to Tinubu on Feb. 25, Adeyanju said it was also to let the world know that Tinubu really won the election.
He said the hangout was aimed at redirecting the ongoing narratives about the presidential election, and the emergence of Tinubu as president-elect.
Adeyanju said that the hangout would continue until May 29, when Tinubu would be sworn in as the country’s 16th democratically elected president.
“We know what we went through to win the Feb. 25 Presidential Election.
“So we see it as unfortunate when some persons come up to call for an Interim National Government, with claims that the election was not free and fair.
“We felt this should not be and that is why we have been hanging out here since March 26, to defend Tinubu’s mandate,” he said.
He commended the humanitarian character of Gufwan over the years and assured of a better and greater Nigeria and a renewed hope under Tinubu’s presidency come May 29.
“It is heart-warming to note that today’s event involved the distribution of tricycles, wheelchairs and other items to our brothers and sisters.
“The event signifies what the in-coming administration of Tinubu symbolises: in terms of government partnering the private sector to better the lot of Nigerians,” he said.
Adeyanju said the pre-inauguration hangout had been very engaging, adding that the distribution of the items was to add value to it and meet the needs of persons with disabilities.
He applauded Gufwan for donating the items, describing him as a pride of the nation and lover of the common man.
In her remarks, Folashade Ojo, daughter of the President-elect, said she was delighted to see her father’s supporters celebrating the victory of democratic Nigeria.
“I can assure you of a better Nigeria, you all know that Tinubu has done it before as a former two-term governor of Lagos State.
“You can trust what to expect from him after his inauguration on May 29,” she said.
She commended the organisers of the hangout for sustaining it and the donor for the distributed items to persons with disabilities, describing them as special people.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke, said the pre-inauguration hangout had helped to integrate Nigerians.
They described Gufwan as a strong personality in the Plateau and the North generally who had impacted positively on the lives of persons with disabilities especially.
Other dignitaries at the event were Diket Plang, Senator-elect for Plateau Central Senatorial District, APC Deputy National Women Leader Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim and Deputy Secretary of the dissolved APC, Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Chris Takar among others.(NAN)
