Challenges Of The Disabled In Contesting For An Election

[Shola Sholaz]

Association for Comprehensive Empowerment of Nigerians with Disability (ASCEND), a socio political organization of persons with disability, while encouraging her members to participate actively in politics, is mindful  that persons with disability face enormous challenges in active participation in politics.
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ASCEND has as one of her cardinal objectives, plans to support her members who want to contest elections, financially and ensure that those who face difficulties are able to exercise their right to vote.
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Focusing on the challenges persons with disability face in contesting for an election, I will reflect on my experience in the 2011 general elections when I contested for the Federal House of Representatives for Amuwo-Odofin Federal constituency in Lagos State.
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The most significant challenge I faced was architectural and attitudinal barriers which threatened to slow my movement and limit the places I could visit for campaign. For example, when I was a member of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), during the primaries, it was  impossible for me to get to the venue of the primaries as the crowd was too much and the party had no plan to ensure that I had access to the venue.