WOYAEN Strategies On Credible Elections, Engages Stakeholders, Citizen Group On Way Forward

“It is important so that they tell us their agenda or manifestos as it relates to their constituencies and especially to this specific group of persons.

Present here are representatives from different groups of the society.”

Also, to establish a Community Accountability Committee (CAC) on the PWD advocacy/inclusion mandate area.

Still explaining,

WOYAEN she explained has been in existence since 2005 with a vision of seeing a society where every boy, girl continued to engage in development.

“As an organization, Women and Youth Awareness Empowerment Network,  have been doing a lot since inception, through our programmes, through our activities and through engaging with other like minds and partners.

Women, youth, persons with disability are our target group. Our mission is to advocate for, and promote good governance, human rights equal opportunities and an inclusive society.

“Of course we cannot do it alone except by collaboration and partnership with relevant persons, bodies and organizations, such as you all who are present here today, if we much achieve desired outcome.

“We have been doing sensitization and awareness programmes. You can see that partners themselves go out to seek for relevant organizations that can further enhance this. This collaboration cannot be done by one group or one community.

Assessing the capability of persons with disability given the chance come 2023 elections, Dr. Rakiya is of high hope of them excelling in whatever position they find themselves. According to her, they have all it takes to be there.

” Yes, because they are human,and because they belong to the society we are in and because also they have a stake and they feel what we feel, they also have a right, their human rights  to participate, to vote and be voted for. I believe it just takes the ‘will’. The ‘will’ of course first, but more than that, the awareness and support of other persons.

“Politics in Nigeria we know is money. But without much money, they can do it because they are credible people and people who have what it takes. Is just that it is not going to be easy. But mind you,  they have huge population and if we pull our forces together,  they will have a smooth sail.

Dr. Rakiya charged them not to be carried away by gifts from politicians, saying, as citizens there is need to appreciate ones rights as well as keep one’s dignity.

“If we are determined, we can shun whatever gifts that is being thrown at us and pull a force and do what is needful.

As a politician, one needs to make impact in whatever party one finds himself/herself such as, being hardworking, being open minded, one developing the mind to mentor and develop others.

 Hon. Maria stressing on the importance of participation encouraged that one participates fully not only at ones party level but local government, state and national levels. Once ones impact is felt, one becomes recognized and then carried along.

For one to make a mark in politics, one needs to exert one’s worth. she said,

“You have to be identified with a party, be it APC, PDP, NNPP etc. Make sure you identify yourself with a particular ward. Register yourself, identify yourself with party executives so that they know you. You start politicking there. You must identify yourself with the polling unit where you reside.

“In terms of election you should make sure that those you identify yourself with in the party will  all rally around to know that you participated in one act or the other for the party.

“It is not just enough to vote one you love but cannot deliver. Politics is all about making positive impacts on the lives of the electorate, thus, the need to choose leaders who can bring positive changes.

She said Nigeria is at the verge of collapsing, reason being that leaders were chosen based on sentiments rather than capability.

Dr.Micah Shabi is one of those persons living with disability. According to him, they are well prepared for the forthcoming general election.

Persons living with disability have huge population that could turn around the electoral process. He said.

“We can write books about the issues of persons with disability concerning the election that is coming.

Politics is who gets what? When and how? Persons with disability what do they have? We thank God for this kind of awareness that we are having now. Is the awareness that will help.

This organization is talking about inclusion, good governance, such will really help the issues of persons with disability. Let me tell you, anywhere you gather ten persons living with disability, 8 or 9 of them have their voters cards in their hands.

They have that full awareness, so the issue now is the issue of governance. How do you include them? How can they bring them in?  That is what this organization is doing and l hope there will be change from now henceforth.

Lamenting further, he said.

Also speaking, State coordinator Network of Women with Disability, Aisha Salihu who is also state coordinator, of physically handicap Association of Nigeria has called on the need for INEC to for the sake of fairness and justice allow a representative of persons with disability to monitor their affairs in the on-going 2023 electioneering process and election proper.

She argued that not until this anomaly is corrected, persons with disability will continue to suffer same faith of non inclusiveness.

She gave an example of one of them  Louis Auta who came out to contest for State House of assembly member but was shown the way out even before the contest just because of her disability.

They need a representation that will project their cause because according to her it is the one that wears the shoe who knows where it pinches.

“I don’t know maybe they think we cannot do the exercise, that is what they think. We want INEC to employ PWDs in their exercise so that we can have sense of belonging. We need representatives at the polling units.

Once there is a PWD in an exercise, l think the problem will be reduced.