Destitutes draws battle line with Fintiri, alleges discrimination against them

Persons Living With Disability (PLWD) in Adamawa State on Tuesday drew battle line with Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, over alledged discrimination against them.

They have issued a seven day ultimatum for the governor to change in ways and manner he treats them or face protests.

In a statement issued by the association and which was signed by Eng. Sani Sabo, Adamawa state chairman of Joint National Association of Persons with Disability, insisted that governor Fintiri has marginalised people with disabilities because of their conditions.

They said, all efforts to get the governor listened to them proved abortive.

The Chairman in a statement worried that since 2019, the association tried to establish contact with the governor, using all available means to no avail.

According to them, they have constitutional provisions to be recognised in governance, but expressed disappointment that the
governor was in contravention of Nigeria’s constitution which abhors any form of maltreatment or discrimination against PLWD.

“We wish to state that we have been discriminated against by your government and treated as non-citizens in contravention of section 42 (2) of the constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

“As member of this group, we accord the government every recognition as citizen of this country Section 16(2) of constitution (FRN) 1999 recognizes our existence as citizens.

“No wonder the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Mohammed Buhari appointed a person with disability as special; adviser on disable matters and went further to give the disable right act the force of law thereby establishing disable right commission with the appointment of person with disability as board members,” the statement said.

The group vowed to take any action that will compel the government to listen to them if within seven days if they fail to give them audience and due recognition.

“We wish to reiterate that 7 days from today if the government of Adamawa State fails to give us audience as citizen, we will take all the necessary measures require as citizen enshrine in the constitution of our discrepancies in accordance with section 40 of the constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999,” the statement said.

But in a swift reaction, the governor’s media aide, Humwashi Wonosikou denied the allegations, while reminding them that they got palliatives from the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Women Affairs and governor’s wife’s office on the directive of Governor Fintiri.

He revealed that government will soon float a commission for PLWD so that they will take charge of their own affairs adding that it is a huge misconception to say the government is not doing anything for the PLWD.