The Joint Clusters of Kano state Persons with Disabilities wish to express their deep concern and total condemnation of a statement credited to one Abdussalam Kani, issued in response to the expressed opinion of two of our members on a political matter within Kano State.
Comrade Yahaya A. Yahaya, the chairman of Physically Challenge people in Kano and Abdulrahman Uba Daushe, the chairman of Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria (SCIAN) Kano state chapter disclosed this in a statement sent to GLOBAL TRACKER.
According to the statement, “our attention was drawn to his reaction following a comment made by a representative of the Kano State Government, which was clearly framed as a personal opinion of that government official during the discussion “if I were in that position, this is what I would do.” Rather than engage constructively or provide facts, counter-arguments, or intellectual justification, Abdussalam Kani chose a path of personality attack, unsubstantiated, biased, and unverified claims, driven by apparent hatred, envy, and intolerance.”
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The statement said in a more disturbing is his attempt to personalize the issue and openly attack members of the Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) community, with the clear intention of silencing them and discouraging their participation in public discourse. This action is not only unacceptable but also a direct assault on the fundamental rights of PWDs to freedom of expression, access to information, and meaningful participation in governance and societal affairs.
“We state categorically that PWDs are citizens with equal rights, voices, and opinions. Any attempt to intimidate, demean, or silence them is a violation of both moral standards and democratic principles,” said the statement.
“We express profound disappointment and disdain at the unruly and disrespectful utterances of someone who claims to have attained a certain level of academic achievement. A true learning environment is built on discipline, respect, encouragement, and constructive engagement not insults, name-calling, or labeling fellow citizens as “illiterates.” Such language does not reflect intellectual maturity; rather, it exposes incompetence and a gross lack of academic and ethical discipline.
“We therefore call on Abdussalam Kani to retract his offensive statements and learn that academic titles do not grant anyone the right to insult, intimidate, or suppress others.
“We also urge learning institutions, civil society, and relevant authorities to take note of this behavior, which brings shame to academia and undermines inclusive dialogue.
The Joint Clusters of Kano State Persons with Disabilities remain committed to peaceful advocacy, responsible engagement, and the promotion of inclusive governance.
“We will not be silenced, intimidated, or discouraged from exercising our constitutional rights.