The Progressive Disability Forum, the disability wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has warned against using the disability condition of the former Governor of Nasarawa state, Senator Umaru Tanko Al Makura, as a basis to disqualify him from the race to chair the party.
The forum in a letter signed by its National Coordinator, Abdulaziz Onibare, and addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, stated that the party would be in contravention of the National Disability Act and its constitution if such move succeeds.
“It has come to our notice that some groups of people are moving around castigating the person of His Excellency, Senator. Umaru Tanko Al makura, questioning his capacity on the basis of his disability. They didn’t question his capacity when he was contributing his millions, time and energy for the progress of the party”, it said.
The group said the lawmaker’s disability should not be a yardstick to measure his competence to lead the party, stating that he paid his dues to the party and represented the disability community well.
To this end, the forum said, the former governor should be given the opportunity to lead APC to a resounding victory during the 2023 elections, and pleaded that its member’s contribution to the party should not to be allowed to go in vain.
It lamented that the leadership of the party had continued to marginalize the group as it has never held any tangible positions, adding that: “We should be given the opportunity to lead this party, and our disability cannot be counted as a barrier. Hence, we felt it a point of duty to emphasise it.”
