The National Leader of Persons With Disabilities in the All Progressives Congress, Tolu Bankole, has called on political leaders to move beyond symbolic inclusion and allocate legislative seats to persons with disabilities.
Bankole made the appeal in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, where he acknowledged recent efforts by the ruling All Progressives Congress to support political participation among persons with disabilities.
He noted that the party, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had introduced measures such as a 50 per cent reduction in nomination fees for aspirants with disabilities and expanded disability-friendly policies.
While commending these steps, Bankole said they were insufficient to guarantee meaningful inclusion.
“Reducing nomination fees is important, but inclusion cannot stop at access to forms. It must extend to access to power, representation, and decision-making,” he said.
He urged party leaders and stakeholders across the country to adopt deliberate strategies that would ensure persons with disabilities are integrated into governance structures.
According to him, the party should consider ceding a fair number of legislative seats at both state and federal levels to qualified members of the disability community.
“Our party must go further by deliberately ceding legislative seats to persons with disabilities in a representative and strategic manner. There are many competent and experienced politicians within the community who are ready to serve,” he said.
Bankole also called for increased inclusion in executive appointments, stressing that governance must reflect the diversity of society.
He cited examples from countries such as the United Kingdom, Sweden, India, Rwanda, and South Africa, where policies and legal frameworks have improved political participation for persons with disabilities.
He, however, lamented that representation of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s elective and appointive positions remains below one per cent.
“This gap is not due to a lack of capacity, but a lack of deliberate inclusion,” he added.
Bankole warned that continued delay in implementing inclusive reforms could further marginalise millions of Nigerians and called for urgent action to address systemic barriers.
He reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for the rights and political advancement of persons with disabilities, expressing optimism that the APC could set a national benchmark for inclusive governance.
