With the polls over, the elderly and the physically challenged persons who participated in Kwara State are worried that the new administration in the state is not factoring them in its new agenda, writes SUCCESS NWOGU Undaunted by the surging crowd that thronged at the polling centres, the aged and physically challenged persons with assistance from their guardians, made their ways to the accreditation centres. Like the young and the able-bodied persons, they were accredited and stayed for a long time waiting for voting time to commence. While the able-bodied persons found the process cumbersome, one could then imagine the stress their aged and physically challenged counterparts went through before casting their votes.

However, these challenged persons appear not to get prominent consideration in national planning and governance. Going through the speeches of President Goodluck Jonathan and the governors during their inauguration penultimate Sunday and even the newly inaugurated National Assembly members on Monday, little or no significant attention was paid to this vulnerable group.

Indeed, many of them that spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH said they not only discharged their civic responsibilities, but also have great hope and confidence in the Nigerian nation. Recounting how they took pains to vote during the last general elections, they prayed that their interest be protected in the scheme of things at the federal, state and local government levels. They also argued that they could contribute substantially towards national transformation.

For a physically challenged person, Alhaji Moshood Saliu, from Okikere Area, who cast his vote at Ajikobi Ward, Ilorin West, President Goodluck Jonathan, governors and members of national and state Houses of Assembly should ensure that the vulnerable people were not discriminated against but should be co-opted into national appointments and other activities.

Saliu said he voted with the hope of seeing credible and god-fearing leaders who would be touched by the sufferings of the masses and so initiate policies that would transform the nation.

He added, “I came out to vote during the elections because I am a patriotic Nigerian and I believe that things will change for better in this country. And a good starting point is to elect credible and compassionate leaders. So if I stayed at home and wallowed in self-pity or empathy, how will the desired change come? Supposing bad leaders are elected and they torment us the more, I would not have the right to complain since I failed to use my vote. But as I came out to vote, I believe God will help us to elect good persons who will pilot the affairs of the nation.

“As a handicapped person, I want to appeal to government to do special programme for us because we also have a role to play in Nigeria and the country’s governance. We have many physically challenged people that came to vote. We had a cripple, and some visually impaired people that came out to vote and so many other handicapped that came out to perform their civic duties.

Also, a blind woman, Mrs. Hadjat Saka, who said she had a herculean task participating in the last poll, noted that she never took her breakfast on the days that the elections held. With this strategy, she said she always got to the polling booths on time to enable her to vote for the people who would influence positively on the nation’s leadership.

Another woman, Alhaja Muskat Ajibde, aged 79, said she dared the scorching sun on many occasions during the poll to exercise her franchise. She said she had been enthusiastic to vote but regretted that most of the nation’s leaders had little interest for the welfare of the masses and the development of the nation. The leaders, she said, were more concerned with self-enrichment and aggrandisement.

She appealed to the leaders to remember that the electorate, particularly the aged and the physically challenged persons, suffered to get them elected, adding that the gratitude they owed the masses was good governance.

She said, “I was motivated because of the younger generation and because of the future of this country. If this election, especially the presidential election is compared with the previous presidential elections, one would say that this is better although the process was more cumbersome.

“I want to advise the elected leaders that we are praying that God should use them to bless us. They should remember the sufferings we are going through in this nation and that many of us suffered to get them elected. It would be sad if they forget the ordinary and aged people like me who should be at home resting but decided to come and stay on the sun to vote so that they be elected. I urge politicians to be fair and hold onto their electioneering promises.”

Still supporting his colleagues, Saliu added, “I have great faith in Nigeria and I wish everything will be okay for all us generally. Our leaders should not forget us, the electorate, who came out in the sun to vote for them. There is much suffering in this nation. It should not be so. God has given us many resources and we have intelligent and hard-working people who can make the desired change. But we have not had so much good leadership.

“You will see many politicians who came and begged for votes from us during campaign but as soon as they are elected, they will not come to you again. Even when you try to see them, they would not allow you to meet with them. You will later see them in their flashy cars driving their friends and concubines around town. They would not be interested on the suffering masses and ways to alleviate their plights. This is sad. They should remember us. We sat on the sun and even sometimes in the rain and cast our votes for them. It may seem that things are rosy for them but when they finish their term and leave their cosy offices, they will also face the realities. They will drive on the same road with us now without escort, they may even become very afraid of their lives since many frustrated, and unhappy people surround them. So it would be better for all of us to have a better country where security of lives and property are enhanced and possibly guaranteed.”

Nonetheless, the cry that greater attention be paid to the elderly and physically challenged also received support from the state chapter of Congress of Nigeria Political Parties and the Action Congress of Nigeria. In their thinking, the neglect of the vulnerable groups by the government has not helped in national cohesion, unity and development.

The state CNPP chairman, Alhaji Zakari Mohammed, particularly urged the government to make them relevant, saying the vulnerable group should be considered for political appointments as the able bodied counterparts.

He said, “In the past, they were not given their rights. President Goodluck Jonathan, governors as well as chairmen of local government councils should be fair to them. At the federal, state and local councils, they should be considered for political positions and be made relevant. They have been contributing positively to national growth. Some of them are teachers and belong to other professions and they are doing very well. They even match the able bodied people in productivity.”

His ACN counterpart, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo, called on the government to stop alleged segregation and discrimination against the vulnerable group. According to him, the government should make special welfare package for the elderly, noting that they had contributed to national productivity and development when they were still active.

He called on the government at federal and state levels to take urgent care of the physically challenged people and the elderly. He, however, was skeptical of government’s concern for the vulnerable class. He called on non-governmental organisations and opposition parties to step up campaign for the integration of and welfare provision for the vulnerable group.

Olawepo said, “From facts available to me, the priorities and welfare packages that are supposed to be given to the handicapped and aged people are not being given. The government should stop the segregation of the handicapped because it gives them some psychological feelings that they are different from able-bodied people. If they are together with the able-bodied people, they relate with them and that gives them the psychological feelings and they will be able to perform better and live in a descent society but by the time you set them aside, their morale and psychological strength will be dampened. That will not make them to move forward.

“The Federal Government and Kwara State, if they can take care of their able bodied, they should do so but how will they do that when they have not even taken care of the able-bodied people?”

However, the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said his administration was committed to the welfare of the vulnerable groups, saying the state would not only ensure their education and empowerment, but would support those gifted in sports.

Ahmed said, “The vulnerable groups have been taken into consideration, even during our campaign, we said, we will specifically take special interest in the vulnerable groups. On their education, we will ensure that they have access to quality education like every other Kwaran. For those of them who are interested in sporting activities, we would give them every required support and assistance. Also, in areas of skill acquisition and empowerment, we will make sure that we provide for them to be part and parcel of the society.”