…Opens Condolence Register at His Office
By Lanre Oloyede
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as the Father of Disability Rights in Nigeria.
In a condolence statement issued by his Director of Media and Communications, Mr. Lanre Oloyede, Hon. Abba Isa said Buhari’s demise is a monumental loss, particularly to Nigeria’s Disability Community, for whom he championed groundbreaking reforms and historic recognition.
The SSAP extended his heartfelt sympathies to the late President’s widow, his family, the government and people of Katsina State, and especially to Nigeria’s 35.1 million Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), whose lives were profoundly impacted by Buhari’s legacy.
“We share in your grief and pray the Almighty Allah to console you, uphold you, and guide you. We stand with you through this moment of pain,” he said.
Hon. Abba Isa recounted President Buhari’s pivotal role in transforming the landscape of disability rights in Nigeria.
He highlighted that Buhari was the only Nigerian President who courageously signed the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act into law in 2018, after it had been declined by past administrations.
In furtherance of that law, Buhari also established the National Commission for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD) and ensured it was fully funded — a move that laid the foundation for structured inclusion of PWDs in governance and national development.
Furthermore, the former President created the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Affairs — the first in Nigeria’s history — and appointed a Person with Disability to head the office, where he served for eight years.
“These historic actions prove that President Buhari’s commitment to the disability community was unwavering and unmatched.
“His legacy as a friend of the vulnerable and marginalized is firmly etched in the history of this country. He was a detribalized Nigerian, a perfect gentleman, a man of integrity,” Abba Isa noted.
The SSAP praised Buhari as a rare leader who served Nigeria selflessly — both as a military head of state and a democratically elected president — without a single corruption scandal hanging over him.
“He was deeply loved by the less privileged and underserved communities for his empathy, humility, and relentless dedication to their cause,” Abba Isa said. “Even in death, the people still love him.”
He added that the late President will be dearly missed by Nigerians especially by PWDs who now have a voice and place at the national table because of Buhari’s foresight and courage.
“That Persons with Disabilities are recognized and listened to today is largely due to the path President Buhari paved for us. He will never be forgotten.”
Hon. Abba Isa prayed for the peaceful repose of the late President’s soul:
“May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljanah Firdaus.”
Meanwhile, the SSA has opened a condolence register at his office at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, for leaders and members of the Disability Community and the general public to express their tributes and sympathies.
