The Society for People with Disability Forum in the North-West has pledged to mobilise five million votes for President Bola Tinubu and Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf in the 2027 general elections.
The forum announced its endorsement of the two leaders on Sunday during a sensitisation programme in Kano aimed at encouraging persons with disabilities to participate in the elections.
The forum’s National Chairman, Yarima Suleiman, said the endorsement was based on what the group described as the contributions of the All Progressives Congress-led governments to the welfare of persons with disabilities.
“As a forum, we are committed to mobilising five million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in the 2027 general elections.
“Today, we call our people with disabilities from 19 states, including Abuja, to show our interest in voting for President Bola Tinubu for a second term, for what the APC has done for us,” Suleiman said.
He cited the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and the appointment of a Senior Special Assistant to the President on disability matters as some of the initiatives the group considered significant.
Suleiman said the forum expected greater representation in government if Tinubu won re-election in 2027.
“I am assuring you that if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wins the 2027 election, we are going to get more appointments in the Federal Government,” he said.
He added that the group was seeking the implementation of a five per cent appointment allocation for persons with disabilities across ministries, departments and agencies.
The chairman also claimed that the forum had reached an agreement with Yusuf on appointments in Kano State in exchange for its support for his re-election bid.
The forum’s state chairman, Sa’adu Ibrahim, said members had benefited from welfare programmes introduced by the Federal and state governments under the APC.
He urged persons with disabilities to participate actively in the 2027 elections, saying the group intended to reciprocate what it described as government support by voting for APC candidates at both levels.
In his remarks, Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to disability inclusion. He was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children and People with Special Needs, Hajiya Amina Sani-Abdullahi.
The governor said his administration had introduced practical interventions to improve the lives of persons with disabilities, including providing wheelchairs to people with spinal cord injuries and promoting para-sports.
“We have provided wheelchairs to spinal cord injury patients, restoring mobility, independence and dignity,” he said.
He added that para-sports activities had created opportunities for persons with disabilities to showcase their talents, build confidence and participate in recreational and competitive sports.
“Persons with disabilities should not be treated merely as beneficiaries of government policies but recognised as active contributors to the state’s development,” he added.
The forum’s endorsement comes as political mobilisation gathers momentum ahead of the 2027 elections. Its pledge to mobilise five million votes represents the group’s stated target, rather than a verified estimate of its membership or voting strength.