By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
President of Coalition of Persons with disabilities in Oyo State, Mr. Chukwuma Ibeh on Wednesday, said that people living with disabilities in the state are ready to support only political parties and candidates having plans for them in the 2023 general elections.
Mr Ibeh made this known in Ibadan, while speaking at a rally tagged, “Effective mobilisation strategies and participation of persons living with disabilities at the grassroots for 2023 general elections.”
According to him, it is unfortunate that persons with disabilities have been neglected by political office holders in Oyo State over the years, despite the fact that about 2.5 million people live with disabilities in the state.
” We organised this rally to let members of the public especially people in Oyo state to know the existence of persons with disabilities. Politicians look at the population of persons with disabilities with a minor figure. But, we want the politicians to know that we are many. We have the power to vote in and vote out someone”, he said.
Mr Ibeh added, ” we have a lot of roles to play in 2023 elections. We have gone to obtain our PVCs. So, any political party or candidates that recognises persons with disabilities will be voted for in 2023. When we have a population of 2.5 million people, it is not a small population.”
Lamenting that politicians in Oyo state have over the years abandoned them thinking that they were few, he said, ” we are ready to vote for political party or candidate that recognises us in 2023″.
