By Michael Omotosho |
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria have officially signaled a shift in their political strategy, moving from mere voter participation to a direct bid for elective positions across the country.
During the Tuesday launch of the “Able2Run: Electability Campaign” in Abuja, representatives of the community accused Nigeria’s political system of relegating them to symbolic, charity appointments while systematically excluding them from real decision-making power.
The initiative, organized by The All-rights Foundation (TAF) Africa with support from the European Union, aims to dismantle barriers and provide a structured platform for PWDs to contest for office at all levels of government.
From Participation to Representation
Speaking at the event, Jake Epelle, Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, emphasized that the era of simply demanding a seat at the table is over. The focus has now transitioned to occupying the seats of power.
“For too long, persons with disabilities have been agitating for the opportunity to participate in the electoral process. But we are going from the point of participation, which we haven’t achieved holistically, to being allowed to run,” Epelle stated.
Epelle argued that Nigeria’s democracy is currently incomplete, effectively silencing nearly 35 million voices. He pointed out that the PWD population in Nigeria is numerically stronger than the total votes that decided the 2023 presidential election, yet this demographic remains on the sidelines.
The Fight Against ‘Tokenism’
A major point of contention raised during the launch was the nature of current political appointments for PWDs. Epelle described the majority of these roles as ceremonial and lacking actual influence, often used by political leaders to create a facade of inclusivity.
“We are tired of being given this tokenism of a special assistant. We have a special assistant to the president who will probably never see the president until he leaves office. So we do not have a voice,” Epelle said. He challenged political parties to move beyond rhetoric and show genuine commitment by integrating disability inclusion into their manifestos and candidate selection processes.
Alarming Statistics of Exclusion
Providing a data-backed perspective, Esrom Ajanya, Senior Programme Manager at The Kukah Centre, highlighted the staggering level of under-representation. Citing a national study conducted by TAF Africa between 1999 and 2025, Ajanya revealed that only four persons with disabilities held elective positions across federal, state, and local levels during that period.
“This represents less than 0.1 percent of all elected positions in Nigeria,” Ajanya noted. He further emphasized the intersectional struggle of gender and disability, stating that no woman with a disability held an elective office during the 26-year period under review.
Building a Path to Power
To bridge this gap, TAF Africa and the EU have launched a national mentorship and coaching programme. The initiative is set to establish virtual political hubs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, providing training for at least 180 aspiring politicians with disabilities.
The curriculum will cover critical campaign components, including:
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Strategic communication and media engagement.
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Campaign financing and voter mobilization.
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Political negotiation and leadership training.
Ajanya concluded with a call to action for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties to dismantle barriers such as inaccessible polling units and discriminatory internal party policies.
“Nigeria cannot claim to be truly democratic while millions of citizens remain politically invisible,” Ajanya said. “The time has come to move from symbolic inclusion to substantive representation.”
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