***Demands Urgent National Action
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) disability leadership has raised fresh concerns over what it describes as the “unfinished state” of Nigeria’s democracy, insisting that millions of persons with disabilities (PWDs) remain systematically excluded from governance, public services, and economic participation.
In a Democracy Day statement titled “Democracy Without Access is Democracy Denied,” the National Leader of Persons with Disabilities in the ADC, Chike Okogwu, said Nigeria cannot claim democratic completeness while large segments of its population are shut out by physical, economic, and institutional barriers.
Okogwu said Democracy Day should not only be a moment of reflection but also a national audit of inclusion, warning that repeated promises on disability rights have not translated into meaningful change on the ground.
He argued that the credibility of democracy is best judged not by elections alone, but by whether citizens—especially the most vulnerable—can access opportunities, services, and equal participation in national life.
Despite the passage of the Disability Act, he said implementation remains weak, leaving millions of Nigerians with disabilities facing daily discrimination in schools, workplaces, hospitals, and public institutions.
Okogwu pointed to persistent physical barriers in public infrastructure, saying many government buildings, transport systems, and health facilities remain inaccessible, effectively locking out PWDs from essential services.
He also highlighted worsening economic hardship, noting that inflation and rising living costs have hit persons with disabilities harder, deepening poverty and limiting access to basic needs such as healthcare and transportation.
On security, he warned that persons with disabilities are among the most vulnerable during conflict, displacement, and emergencies, yet Nigeria’s response systems remain largely non-inclusive and ill-prepared for their needs.
The ADC leader further raised alarm over unemployment, saying qualified persons with disabilities continue to be excluded from jobs due to discrimination and workplaces that are not designed to accommodate them.
He described the country’s unstable electricity supply as another silent barrier, explaining that many PWDs depend on assistive devices and medical equipment that require constant power to function and survive independently.
In the health sector, Okogwu said accessibility gaps remain severe, with inadequate rehabilitation services, lack of sign language interpretation, and unaffordable assistive devices continuing to limit access to quality care.
He also warned that Nigeria’s rapid digital transformation is widening inequality, as government services, education, and economic opportunities increasingly move online without accessibility features for persons with disabilities.
According to him, Nigeria’s transport and aviation systems also continue to fall short of global accessibility standards, restricting mobility and reinforcing exclusion.
Okogwu urged government institutions, political parties, and private sector actors to move beyond symbolic inclusion and adopt enforceable policies that guarantee accessibility, equal opportunity, and social protection.
He said the ADC would prioritise disability inclusion through targeted welfare programmes, inclusive employment policies, and strict accessibility standards across public institutions if given governance responsibility.
According to him, Nigeria’s estimated 30 million persons with disabilities are not demanding sympathy but justice, dignity, and full participation in national life.
He concluded that until inclusion becomes a lived reality rather than a policy slogan, Nigeria’s democracy will remain fundamentally incomplete.