THE former governor of Nasarawa state, Senator Umaru Tanko Almakura has promised to carry along people living with disabilities if elected as the national Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the March 26 national convention.
Senator Almakura, who currently represents Nasarawa South Senatorial District, has also assured women and youth that they would form part of his administration if given the mandate to serve as the national Chairman of the APC.
Speaking in an interview with journalists in Abuja, Senator Almakura said he played prominent role in the establishment of the Disability Commission, describing People living with disability as members of his constituency.
He said, “I was talking about people with disability and I know how much input I have put in to ensure the realization of the enactment of the law establishing the disability commission. I’ve had to participate in the one-million-march walk and participated in various advocacies for the enactment.
“In fact, I invited President Muhammadu Buhari to Nasarawa on the last day of his campaign in 2015, to assure people with disabilities, because I consider them as my constituents. And he came and promised that the legislative procedure that was going on in the parliament, by the time he becomes the president, he will fast track it. And true to time, he has done it.
“Not only has he signed the law, he has also created a commission for people with disability, which is really giving hope to PWDs. So these are constituencies that I think can be brought to bear to enrich the kind of leadership I’m going to give the party not only…and by extension, whoever becomes president of this country, and has a chairman and has this pedigree, it would add one or two value in shaping the affairs of his administration.
With regard to women, I was the first governor in Nasarawa State to make a woman, Secretary to the State Government. With regard to party leadership, I’ve been a youth secretary of a party and so I know party administration right from the youth level, to Secretary level and other positions.
“That’s why if I become chairman of the APC, I will use my residual understanding to relate with people along the ladder to ensure peaceful party administration.
“Finally, I have served the party in different capacities. I was the one who conducted the 2018 primaries in Ekiti with all the troubles there. There were three candidates then. And I had to conduct the primaries twice. And by the time I did, the first one was rancorous and chaotic. After two weeks, I went back there and because of the transparent, all-embracing approach I did in line with the Constitution, virtually each and everyone accepted and upheld the decision without a single person going to court. I also served as chairman for reconciliation in the Northeast after the 2019 elections. So there are so many party responses that have been able to handle I don’t want to go on and on and on.”
