The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 election, Peter Obi has called for better support for Nigerians who are living with disability, News About Nigeria reports.
The former Anambra state governor made the demand in a post on his official X account in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Speaking to persons living with disability, the Labour Party Flagbearer in the last election encouraged them to not see their disability as a death sentence but to discover their inherent abilities to live their best lives.
He further charged Nigerians to desist from discriminating persons living with disability, noting that, every individual is differently gifted and has the potential to contribute to nation-building.
His post partly reads, “I join in demanding a better nation for them as fellow compatriots, living with disabilities not by their making. Living with a disability should not be a death sentence or society stigmatisation, but should be a platform that calls up the humanity in us as their brothers and sisters.”
Obi also decried the fact that due to bad governance, it has now become hard for people living with disabilities to survive because of how special they are.
Referencing the status of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which indicated that over 35 million Nigerians live with disabilities, Obi stated that it is the responsibility of the government of the day to cater to them to enable them to live their lives in full and contribute positively to the development of Nigeria.
He therefore called on the government of the day to ensure that they cater to persons living with disabilities by ensuring that they have access to healthcare and education.
Obi further reminded the government that legislation mandates that public agencies reserve at least 5 percent of jobs for such persons to ensure that they are adequately represented in both governance and the public sector.
