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INEC calls for provision of access for ‘pwds’ in elections

The chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has called on governments, proprietors of schools and owners of premises used during elections to provide an accessible environment for persons with disability, PWDs, during election process.

Yakubu made this appeal on wednesday in abuja at the campaign event to promote inclusivity and the mainstreaming of persons with disabilities (pwds) in the electoral process, organized by the albino foundation in abuja, said “PWDs’ are citizens and have the right to participate in all areas of human activity without stigma or discrimination.”

According to him the National Population Commission (NPC) estimates that at least nineteen (19) million nigerians are living with disabilities.
Therefore, systematic exclusion of pwds on account of disability has affected a significant part of the nigerian population from effective participation in many areas of human endeavour, especially political and leadership roles at all levels. this is unacceptable.”
We owe it a duty to our democratic and electoral processes as well as national growth and development to encourage their active participation as citizens with equal rights.
They constitute the category of marginalised groups along with women and youths. therefore, all barriers to their inclusion must be dismantled. in partnership with the disability community, inec will continue to promote inclusivity, not in a symbolic but practical way.
“Our emphasis is not just on their participation as candidates during elections in particular but involvement in the electoral process in general. already, we have taken several practical steps in this direction.
The commission launched “INEC framework on access and participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process, beyond that, a new department of gender and inclusivity headed by a director was established after the 2019 general election.”
However, there is so much to do to address the persistent gap in political participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in party leadership and nomination of candidates for elections. i urge parties to do more.
“Once again commend the Albino Foundation for collaborating with INEC and other relevant stakeholders for working tirelessly towards enhancing the political participation of pwds in the electoral process in nigeria.’
Meanwhile, Founder, Albino Foundation, Mr Jake Epelle has affirmed the expansion of participation of PWDs’ during and after elections process to enable them take part in upcoming elections.
“We are going to be deploying 700 members of persons with disability as observers, in our electoral hub. in partnership with inec, we will deploy a one stop application that will give us on a spot assessment of what is happening in every polling unit in real time data, video.
“We are also deploying members of the community as interns. this time not at abuja where everything is centred but we are going to the states to ensure they begin to give opportunities to persons with disabilities to learn from those who are already in the house.
so that they can be future legislators.
“We are deploying for the first time sign language interpreters for the two houses of the national assembly and their salary to be paid for three years.
“we also need to attach a sign language interpreter to the inec chairman wherever he goes”.

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Senators Natasha, Abbo unite in peddling dangerous falsehood against me – Akpabio

Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio has accused Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Elisha Abbo of being united I coordinated attacks against him lately.

He stated this following Natasha’s claims during a rally in her Kogi Central Senatorial District that he recruited the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to assassinate her outside Abuja.

At the rally on Tuesday 1st April, 2025 which was monitored by CAPITAL POST in Lokoja, Natasha accused the former Governor Yahaya Bello, having been contacted late in the night of March 12, 2025 to orchestrated ‘recall and assassination’ of her outside Abuja.
Natasha said she has intelligence reports that when she is killed in her Constituency, “it will look as if it’s her people that killed her.”
Though Bello was yet to issue a statement debunking the allgations or otherwise, Senate President on his part denied the allegation and described it as falsehood and inflammatory.
Reacting in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publici, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh on Friday, Akpabio accused former Senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial, Elisha Abbo of toeing the similar part of blackmail, saying barely 24 hours later, on April 2, 2025, Elisha Abbo appeared on Arise Television to revive a previously withdrawn claim that Senator Akpabio “manipulated the judiciary” to secure his removal from the Senate.
The statement said: “Nigerians will recall that Mr. Abbo, in 2023, publicly retracted this same accusation and tendered an apology after acknowledging that his claims were founded on incorrect assumptions.
“His removal from office was the outcome of a constitutionally grounded judicial decision by the Court of Appeal, which independently determined that he was not duly elected to represent Adamawa North.
“In a further twist, Mr. Abbo also alleged that he was denied his entitlements by the Senate President. This, too, is categorically false. Entitlements such as salaries and allowances are processed strictly through administrative and legal procedures.
“The Senate President does not and cannot unilaterally approve or deny such requests. Any delays or rejections would have been based solely on due diligence and compliance with established protocols.
“The timing, tone, and striking similarity of these coordinated attacks point clearly to a politically motivated smear campaign. These individuals—backed by undisclosed interests—appear united in a desperate effort to undermine the credibility of the Senate and its leadership and intended to distract from their own personal and political shortcomings and failings.
“Senator Godswill Akpabio remains undeterred. As a statesman devoted to national unity, institutional integrity, and the rule of law, he will not be distracted by malicious falsehoods or inflammatory rhetoric.
“Regardless of the necessity for legal redress, formal letters of demand, seeking immediate public retractions, apologies, and compensation for reputational harm, are underway to be served on both Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Mr Elisha Abbo.
“We call on the Nigerian public in particular and the International Community to reject these baseless and provocative narratives. The Senate, under Senator Akpabio’s leadership, remains focused on its constitutional mandate: to promote legislative excellence, safeguard democratic values, and deliver meaningful progress for the Nigerian people”, the statement concluded.

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Governor Ododo mourns death of Kogi East APC Chairman

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has expressed heartfelt sympathy over the demise of Hon. Suleiman Muhammed, the Kogi East Zonal Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a condolence message to the family of the deceased and members of the APC in Kogi state, described the sudden passing of the APC Zonal chairman as a loss not only for the party in Kogi East but the entire APC family in the state.

According to the Governor “The late Hon. Suleiman Muhammed was a man of peace, humility, and one who demonstrated commitment to the service of the state and the APC as a party. He carried the aspirations of his people with dignity; his leadership was widely respected and his contributions deeply valued within and beyond the APC in Kogi East”.
“He was instrumental in strengthening party cohesion and promoting inclusive dialogue. His presence in every party engagement brought stability and thoughtful leadership to our consultations in the zone.”
Governor Ododo further noted that Hon. Suleiman’s calm temperament, sense of fairness, and ability to listen distinguished him as a unifying figure in the party.
The Governor also extends condolences to the family of the deceased, the leadership and members of the APC in the state, the people of Dekina local government area and the entire Kogi East Senatorial District.
He prayed that Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljanatul Firdaus.
The late APC zonal chairman who served as the APC coordinator in Odu Ward 2 before becoming the zonal chairman of the party in Kogi East died at the age of 45 and has been laid to rest according to Islamic rites.

News
Assassination Plot: Natasha’s manipulative theatrics to whip public sentiments worrisome – Akpabio

President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio has accused the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of manipulative theatrics on the sensibilities of the Nigerian public to whip sentiments.

He said his attention has been drawn to claims by the embattled lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District that he recruited the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to plot her assassination outside Abuja.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Senate President, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh and made available to CAPITAL POST on Friday in Abuja, Akpabio described Natasha’s claims as inflammatory and highly condemnation.
Denying the accusation, Akpabio noted that the outrageous and false accusation in Natasha’s address to her constituents on Tuesday 1st April, 2025 was meant to malign him lately.
Part of the statement read: “The Office of the President of the Senate strongly condemns the recent baseless, false and inflammatory accusation made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in which she falsely alleged that the Senate President, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was involved in a plot to assassinate her.
“While speaking in Kogi State on April 1, 2025, the suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan recklessly and maliciously claimed that Senator Godswill Akpabio “recruited” former Governor Yahaya Bello to “assassinate her in Kogi State rather than in Abuja.”
“This outrageous accusation is not only false but a complete fabrication and deeply irresponsible and dangerous attempt to provoke public unrest, attract media attention, and discredit the person and office of the President of the Senate for ulterior motives.
“It is important to remind the public that this same individual had previously made an unsubstantiated accusation of sexual harassment against Senator Akpabio—a claim she seem to have abandoned without explanation.
“Having failed to gain traction with that narrative, she has now escalated her campaign of misinformation to a deadly and defamatory dimension.
Akpabio further explained how Natasha had engaged in this troubling pattern in years past, hence, attention of Nigerians have been drawn to such filthy games that shouldn’t be taken seriously.
“This pattern of deliberate falsehoods and manipulative theatrics reveals a troubling willingness to exploit public sensitivities through recurring victimhood narratives.
“It is a matter of public record that she has previously made assassination allegations against former Governor Yaya Bello and others in 2019 and 2023, along with multiple unsubstantiated claims of sexual harassment against other dignitaries.
“Her recurring persecution narrative and evident lying complex should not be weaponized to malign individuals or destroy hard-earned reputations.
Interestingly, this latest reckless allegation is not occurring in isolation”, he concluded.

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