By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – Nigerians living with physical disabilities on Wednesday slammed President Muhammadu Buhari for saying he is unaware of the National Disability Bill reportedly awaiting his assent into law.

A statement by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) signed by the President, Judith Umoh, and the General Secretary, Sulayman Dagbo, described President Buhari’s comments during a televised Townhall meeting by NTA tagged “The Candidates” explaining why the Bill has not been assented into law as “shocking and disappointing”.

The statement reads: “Nigerians with disability are still yet to recover from a state of shock and disappointment at the statement of Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari that he is not aware of the existence of the National Disability Bill.

“We are aware that the National Assembly have passed and harmonized the National Disability Bill and there is evidence to show that the Bill has been transmitted to the President for his assent.

“Since 1999, it clearly appears that successive Presidents have simply sworn to permanently exclude Nigerians with disabilities, worsen their living conditions, subject them to dehumanizing conditions and treat them as though they are not citizens of Nigeria

“Nigerians with disability will continue to reject in the strongest possible terms, this unacceptable trend of refusal of Presidential assent to the National Disability Bill. We state unequivocally that no reason will be acceptable to Nigerians with disabilities for any other refusal of assent.
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“In the lights of the above, the over 27 million Nigerians with disabilities demand immediate location and presidential action on the National Disability Bill. We call on well meaning Nigerians and the international community to appeal to the Nigerian government to do the obvious needful.”