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ABUJA: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come under fresh criticism over his recent declaration that he would “wrestle the opposition to the ground,” with the National Leader of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Chike Okogwu, urging the President to channel his energy toward tackling Nigeria’s worsening economic and social crises instead of engaging political rivals.
Okogwu, who is also a member of the ADC’s 50 Wise Men and Women Policy and Manifesto Committee, described the President’s remarks as divisive, combative and inconsistent with the dignity of the nation’s highest office, warning that democracy should be driven by ideas, competence and governance rather than political confrontation.
In a strongly worded statement, he argued that after more than three years of the current administration, the real victims of government policies were not opposition politicians but millions of ordinary Nigerians grappling with soaring inflation, widespread hunger, unemployment, insecurity, a weakening naira, collapsing purchasing power, shrinking investments and rising business costs.
According to him, families can no longer afford basic necessities, businesses are shutting down daily, graduates remain unemployed, pensioners struggle to buy medication, while farmers and investors continue to face uncertainty amid worsening insecurity and declining economic confidence.
Okogwu said Persons With Disabilities have borne an even heavier burden, lamenting that millions continue to face extreme poverty, unemployment, inaccessible transportation, unaffordable healthcare, exclusion from quality education and inadequate access to housing, banking, digital services, justice and political participation despite existing legal protections.
He accused government agencies, particularly within the aviation sector, of failing to provide adequate facilities for passengers with reduced mobility, alleging that many Nigerians with disabilities still endure degrading travel experiences contrary to the provisions of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
The ADC chieftain further alleged that implementation of the Disability Act has remained painfully slow, leaving public infrastructure, healthcare facilities and government institutions largely inaccessible to persons living with disabilities.
Drawing parallels with the late musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s famous expression, “Sorrow, Tears and Blood,” Okogwu said the phrase still reflects the daily reality confronting many Nigerians, particularly citizens living with disabilities.
He recalled that in a newspaper article published in 2022, he had warned that disability inclusion was largely absent from the governing party’s policy priorities, insisting that subsequent events had validated those concerns.
Presenting the opposition party’s alternative agenda, Okogwu said an ADC administration would prioritise full implementation of disability rights legislation, mainstream accessibility across public infrastructure, transportation, aviation, healthcare, education and digital services, while expanding employment, entrepreneurship, rehabilitation programmes and political representation for Persons With Disabilities.
He added that the party also plans to strengthen social protection programmes and ensure that every Ministry, Department and Agency integrates disability inclusion into planning, budgeting, implementation and performance evaluation.
Okogwu urged President Tinubu to focus on what he described as the nation’s real enemies, including inflation, hunger, insecurity, unemployment, corruption, nepotism, poor governance and the escalating cost-of-living crisis, rather than political opponents.
“History does not celebrate leaders for defeating the opposition. It remembers those who defeated poverty, united divided nations, restored hope and protected the vulnerable,” he said.
