…’My Statement Misunderstood, APC Seeking Attention’ -Damagum, PDP DNC
By Inusa Ndahi, Damaturu
The zonal leader for North-East All Progressives Congress, APC, Persons Living with Disabilities, PLWDs, Mr. Mohammad Isa, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Deputy National Chairman, DNC, North, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Amb. Umar Ilya Damagum, to withdraw an alleged discriminatory statement about people living with disabilities, and ASLO tender na unreserved apology to the group or face legal action.
Addressing a press conference in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, Mr Isa siad that Amb Dmaagum’s utterances regarding people living with disabilitiesat the PDP presidential rally in Maiduguri about people choosing between an able-bodied person and a disabled person was not only discriminatory to PLWDs, but also offensive.
But in a sweet reaction, the PDP DNC, North, a one-time Nigeria’s Ambassador to Denmark, Amb. Damagum, in a press statement titled: ‘My Position on People Living with Disabilities,’ which was made available to journalists in Damaturu, said that PWDs who are members of the APC are taking his statement out of context to attract sentiment.
Mr. Isa had alleged that Damagum, PDP DNC North had on the 8th of November, 2022, at Atiku’s campaign rally in Maiduguri, Borno State, said in Hausa language to the effect that if one is given a choice to elect between a disabled person and a none disabled person, who will the people choose?
The zonal leader noted that Damagum’s statement amount to discrimination against PLWDs, which is contrary to Discrimination Against Persons with Disability Act, 2018; and Section 52 of the Electoral Act, 2022; and United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, which Nigeria is a signatory to.
The full text of the press statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement or utterances made by Amb. Umar Damagum, the PDP Deputy National Chairman, North, on the 8th November, 2022, at Atiku campaign rally in Maiduguri, Borno State, where he expressely stated in Hausa to the effect that if one is given a choice to elect between disabled persons and none disabled person, who will the people choose?
“Indeed we are all offended by the statement, we all view it as an insult, a disrespect, and discriminatory against Persons Living with Disabilities, inline with the Discrimination Against Persons Living with Disabilities Prohibition Act, 2018 and Section 52 of Electoral Act and United Nations’ Convention for the Right of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, which Nigerian are signatory to it.
“It’s our understanding that Damagum was calling for discrimination against us at the time when the whole world are behind us, praying for our inclusion. You are calling for our exclusion as if our predicament is our making. If disability is a product, no one will buy it from the market, and nobody is immune to become disabled at anytime.
“It’s very important to note that the above statement is unacceptable by all of us. Therefore, you (Damagum) are given seven days from the date of this press release, to retract this statement and tender apologies to the entire Persons Living with Disabilities in the North East in particular, and the world in general.”
Swiftly responding to the ultimatum by the North-East APC PLWDs, Damagum said that the APC took his statement out of context to attract sentiment.
He said that he was just using a harmless house expression to indicate “strong and healthy with capacity,” stressing that his statement was not in any way intended, nor was it targeted at people living with disabilities.
He expressed his high regard for the people living with disabilities, and consequently disassociated himself from what he referred to as “the disposition and insinuations of the APC North East Zonal Leader.”
He assured that the PDP will run an inclusive government if voted into power come 2023, and therefore will not engage in such alleged discrimination against people living with disabilities.
He called on the APC to desist from imaginary wars and focus on redeeming its image before Nigerians.
He said, “It is interesting that we are at the moment in a political milieu, where we politicians enjoy throwing jabs at our opponents to win support on our side. In achieving this however, we, as politicians, sometimes engage in metaphorical analogies that are either wrongly misinterpreted, twisted or in some cases completely taken out of context from our intended meanings. This is exactly the case of the perceived anger over my statement at the Maiduguri rally.
“For avoidance of doubt, I want to state categorically here that my statement was just a simple Hausa expression that represents “strong and healthy with capacity,” alluding to our presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“My statement was not targeted at millions of people living with disabilities in Nigeria or anywhere on this planet, neither did I mean to be insensitive to these special group of people, whom our party, and I, as a person, hold in high esteem.
“Consequently, I will therefore want to disassociate myself, my position as the Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, North, and my party from the disposition and insinuation of the APC Zonal Leader of People Living with Disabilities and his sponsors.
“As a political party that seeks to do justice to all manner of persons, the PDP, while in power for 16 years, ran an all inclusive government, where the voices of people living with disabilities became louder than ever. This will be sustained after our dear party emerges victorious at the general elections next year.
“Once again, I hold People Living with Disabilities in high esteem, and I refuse to be dragged into this antics of the APC, trying to draw daggers in an imaginary war to attract sentiments since they have lost the sympathy of Nigerians.”
