The Founder of The Albino Foundation, Jake Epelle, has called for greater political inclusion of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), saying Nigeria’s democracy remains incomplete without their active participation in elective positions.

Speaking at the launch of the “Able2Run – Electability Campaign” in Abuja, Epelle said the campaign was designed to encourage PWDs not only to vote, but to contest and emerge as leaders at all levels of governance.

He lamented that despite constituting an estimated 35 million people in Nigeria, PWDs remain largely excluded from political representation.

“The time has come for persons with disabilities to move from the margins of political participation to the centre of democratic leadership,” he said.

According to him, the population of PWDs in Nigeria is larger than the number of votes that brought President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to power in the 2023 presidential election. “The democracy in Nigeria is currently missing nearly 35 million voices. The community of persons with disability is much more than the votes that brought in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Yet, we don’t have proper representation,” he stated.

Epelle criticised what he described as tokenism in political appointments for PWDs, noting that most positions occupied by them were appointive rather than elective.

“For too long, more than 99 per cent of the positions we occupy have been more or less charity positions. We are tired of being given token positions like Special Assistant on Disability Matters without real participation in governance,” he added.

He urged political parties to mainstream disability inclusion in their internal structures and decision-making processes, stressing that disability desk officers in political parties should themselves be persons with disabilities.

The campaign, supported by the European Union under the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Programme, seeks to deepen conversations around disability inclusion and dismantle stereotypes linking disability with incapacity.

In a statement presented at the event by a representative of The Kukah Centre, Esrom Ajanya, TAF Africa said the initiative would establish virtual political incubation hubs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and mentor at least 180 aspiring politicians with disabilities.

The organisation noted that findings from its national studies between 2019 and 2025 showed that only four persons with disabilities occupied elective political offices across federal, state and local government levels during the period.

It added that none of the elected officials were women with disabilities.

“Over 99 per cent of positions occupied by PWDs are appointive rather than elective, with more than half serving as Special Advisers or Special Assistants on Disability Matters,” the statement noted.

TAF Africa also raised concerns over poor disability-disaggregated electoral data, saying current records from the Independent National Electoral Commission reflected fewer than 100,000 registered voters with disability data.

The organisation called on political parties to adopt affirmative action measures, waive nomination fees for aspirants with disabilities and make party activities accessible through braille, audio and large-print formats.

It also urged the Federal Government and state governments to fully implement the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018.

Speaking at the event, a disability rights advocate, Egede Chioma, said persons with disabilities possess the intellectual capacity to participate fully in governance and should not be treated with pity.

“The lesson is that persons with disabilities are able and capable to participate in the electoral system. It is not a thing of pity; it is about ability and competence,” she said.

Also speaking, a governorship aspirant living with disability from Kogi State, Aduku Emmanuel said his participation in the 2023 elections inspired more PWDs to seek elective positions.

He expressed optimism that more political parties would provide opportunities for aspirants with disabilities ahead of future elections.

The campaign organisers said the mentorship programme for aspiring politicians with disabilities would provide training in leadership, campaign financing, voter mobilisation, media engagement and inclusive governance.