JONAPWDs Endorses Kano Civil Society Forum’s New Leadership
The Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWDs) has reaffirmed its support to the leadership of the Kano Civil Society Forum, KCSF, adding that the new KCSF Executive Members emerged through a free, fair and transparent democratic process.
JONAPWDs disclosed this in a statement signed by its Vice Chairman II, Kano State Chapter, Alhaji Aminu Ahmed Tudun-Wada, on Saturday.
Mr. Tudun-Wada was reacting to an earlier statement released by the Chairman, People with Physically Challenge, Kano State Chapter, Yahaya A. Yahaya, who claimed that his group was allegedly disenfranchised during the first-ever election that took place since the creation of the Forum over 12 years ago.
According to Mr. Tudun-Wada, the allegations by a particular group within the Kano State community of PWDs were baseless and does not carry any weight, as their members (JONAPWDs) were aware and participated fully in the entire electoral processes that led to the emergence of the current leadership of the KCSF.
“The leadership of Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWDs) wish to address the recent claims made by the Chairman of People with Physically Challenges, Kano State Chapter, Yahaya A. Yahaya, alleging disenfranchisement during the recent democratic election of the Kano Civil Society Forum (KCSF). These claims are not only unfounded but also misrepresent the integrity and transparency of the entire electoral process.
“I would like to clarify that we, the representatives of the JONAPWDs- an umbrella organization of all categories of PWDs in Nigeria, were indeed present and participated fully and equally in the election. Therefore, our active involvement and endorsement of the process as free, fair, and transparent due to the presence of diverse stakeholders who acted as observers during the election, speak volumes about the legitimacy of the entire process.
Read Also:
“Because the Electoral Committee ensured that the accreditation and voting were conducted seamlessly, with oversight from a diverse group of stakeholders such as the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Service (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Niherian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC).” Tudun-Wada said.
While describing the baseless allegations as unfortunate, the Vice Chairman emphasized that Mr. Yahya’s action did not in any way represent the collective voices of PWDs communities but rather reflection of his personal interests and selfishness.
Therefore, he urged the new leadership of the Forum to take appropriate measures towards addressing these kinds of unwarranted distractions so as to avert any form of division within members of civil society groups in the State.
“It is essential to recognize that the leader of this dissenting group appears to be acting out of personal interest rather than genuinely representing the collective voice of PWDs in Kano State. Such actions undermine the democratic process and the collective efforts of the civil society in promoting inclusiveness.
“The new leadership of KCSF should adhere to legitimate and due processes in addressing this matter. The actions of this group risk causing internal wrangling, disharmony, and disarray among members of the PWDs and the entire civil society space in Kano State. It is imperative for the stability and unity of our forum that these issues are managed appropriately and constructively.
“Furthermore, we call on security agencies to take proactive measures to prevent any actions by this group that may incite disharmony or threaten law and order. The current fragile peace in Kano State must be preserved, and any attempts to disrupt this peace through unfounded allegations and incitement should be addressed swiftly and decisively.
“PWDs remains committed to supporting a transparent and inclusive civil society that respects the voices and rights of all its members. We stand by the results of the recent KCSF elections and support the new leadership in their mandate to continue fostering unity and development within our community.” Mr. Tudun-Wada added.
Recall that on June 8th, 2024, Mohammed Bello, the Chief Executive Officer/CEO of the African Center for Innovative Research and Development (AFRI-CIRD), was elected as the President of the Forum after scoring 58 out of the total 60 votes casted to defeat Ibrahim Waiya who spent 12 years on an interim leadership role.
