The Joint Clusters of People with Disabilities in the Kano Civil Society Forum have rejected the recent elections held by Kano Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), citing the exclusion of their members from the process.
The Chairman of the People with Physical Challenges, Kano State chapter, Yahaya A. Yahaya, informed newsmen in Kano on Saturday that his group was disenfranchised during the recent change of leadership orchestrated by a factional group.
Yahaya said: “We were not contacted, informed, or given the opportunity to exercise our right to vote or be voted for in the recent pseudo-election of leaders of the Kano Civil Society Forum.”
He stressed, “This hastily convened election is a blatant disregard for the fundamental principles of inclusivity, transparency, and the democratic process. It is a gross violation of the rights of registered members of all Kano PWDs, who were deliberately excluded from participating in the electoral process.”
The PWDs Chairman explained that “It is particularly disheartening to note that five critical and registered clusters of persons with disabilities under the forum were systematically disenfranchised.”
Yahaya listed the affected rights groups as “the Spinal Cord Injuries Association, Nigerian Association for the Blind (NAB), Physically Challenged, IDEA, and Albino.”
He lamented that “This exclusionary act is not only a betrayal of the principles we stand for but also a grave injustice to these vulnerable groups in a democratic society like ours.”
Yahaya said, “From the foregoing, the leaderships of all clusters of PWDs in Kano wish to reiterate their unwavering allegiance to the incumbent leadership of Amb. Ibrahim Waiya and his cabinet.”
According to the PWDs Chairman, “We believe that their stewardship has been marked by inclusivity, effectiveness, and a genuine commitment to the welfare of the people of Kano State involved.”
The group, therefore, called on all stakeholders, including the general public, to treat this factional election with the contempt it deserves.