By BONIFACE AKARAH

A coalition describing itself as the Pioneers of Nigeria’s National and International Disability Civil Rights Movement and Policy Changers has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to halt the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution until specific disability rights guarantees are incorporated.

In a memorandum dated and signed September 19, 2026, and addressed to President Tinubu through Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, the Pioneers Ad Hoc Consortium IMM demanded executive action on disability rights, constitutional reform, a proposed cabinet-level ministry, a forensic financial audit and a N66 trillion damages claim. The memorandum was signed by Lady Omotunde Ellen Thompson, Co-Founder and Life Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of JONAPWD-National and leader of the Pioneers Ad Hoc Consortium; Chief Eric Ndubueze Ufom, President/CEO of Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International; and Brigadier General Dr. Lonsdale Oladeji Adeoye (Rtd.), President of the Foundation for the Support of Nigerian Veterans and leader of the consortium.

The group said It was formally transmitting three legal instruments, including a 20th anniversary UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) report, a proposal to amend the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and a proposal for alteration of the 1999 Constitution.

The consortium said Its demands were based on Articles 4(3), 33(3) and 35 of the UN CRPD, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Disability Protocol and Nigeria’s Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018.

It claimed that more than 40 million Nigerians living with disabilities, alongside other vulnerable groups, had suffered the effects of what it described as decades of structural exclusion.

“Disability rights are fundamental human rights, not acts of government charity,” the consortium stated, arguing that governance and lawmaking constituted a fiduciary responsibility to citizens with disabilities.

Among its major demands, the group asked Tinubu to direct the National Assembly and executive representatives to suspend the constitutional review until 13 accessibility guarantees, including physical accessibility, Braille and audio formats, sign-language interpretation, real-time captioning and direct representation of organisations of persons with disabilities, are guaranteed.

It also demanded an amendment to Section 42(1) of the Constitution to expressly include disability among prohibited grounds of discrimination.

The consortium further called for nationwide enforcement of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and urged the President to replace the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities with a proposed Federal Ministry of Disability and Institute for Rehabilitation Affairs.

The group alleged that the existing commission had been compromised by financial corruption and other institutional problems. It argued that a cabinet-level ministry would provide a permanent voting seat at the Federal Executive Council and direct budgetary allocations.

On its financial demand, the consortium asked the Federal Government to recognise and negotiate a N66 trillion general, structural and punitive damages claim reportedly pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja under Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1824/2026.

It said the figure represented N1 trillion for each of the 66 years since October 1, 1960, which it described as a period of systemic exclusion involving eight categories of vulnerable Nigerians.

The group also called for a forensic financial audit from 1960 to date covering federal disability allocations, Central Bank of Nigeria microfinance disbursements, development credits and oil revenue proceeds earmarked for persons with disabilities.

“Direct the EFCC, ICPC, and Auditor-General of the Federation to execute an exhaustive forensic audit tracking all federal disability allocations,” it demanded.

Another demand was for a disability-inclusive, trauma-informed security framework, including the recognition of post-traumatic stress disorder and severe psychological trauma as legal disabilities under the UN CRPD and Nigerian disability legislation.

The consortium also requested mandatory involvement of its representatives in vetting leadership appointments for the proposed ministry and rehabilitation institute.

The group said it had cited United Nations archival records as evidence of the historical participation of Nigerian disability-rights representatives in the drafting of the UN CRPD, including records concerning Chief Eric Ndubueze Ufom and Lady Dorothy Mbanefo.

In its concluding appeal, the consortium called on Tinubu to take what it described as decisive presidential action to address decades of exclusion.

“Sixty-six years of state-sanctioned exclusion, institutional corruption, and unaddressed intergenerational trauma must end today,” it stated.