By BONIFACE AKARAH

A disability rights consortium has asked the National Assembly to suspend the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution, establish a Senate Standing Committee on Disability Matters and create a cabinet-level Federal Ministry of Disability as part of a wide-ranging legislative demand submitted to the federal lawmakers.

The Pioneers of Nigeria's National and International Disability Civil Rights Movement and Policy Changers (Ad Hoc Consortium IMM) made the demands in a joint executive transmittal memorandum dated September 21, 2026, addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas through the Clerk of the National Assembly.

The memorandum also seeks legislative action concerning a ₦66 trillion damages claim in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1824/2026, which the group said is pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The consortium said the memorandum was submitted under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the African Disability Protocol and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018.

At the centre of the demand is a call for the National Assembly to halt its constitutional review proceedings until 13 accessibility guarantees are provided for persons with disabilities, including accessible venues, Braille and audio formats, sign-language interpretation, real-time captioning and direct representation of organisations of persons with disabilities.

"Halt all Senate and House Constitutional Review proceedings until thirteen mandatory accessibility guarantees" are guaranteed under Article 4 of the CRPD, the consortium demanded.

The group also called for an amendment to Section 42(1) of the 1999 Constitution to expressly include disability among the prohibited grounds of discrimination.

Another major demand is the immediate establishment of a Senate Standing Committee on Disability Matters. The consortium said the House of Representatives established its own standing committee on disability matters in December 2020, but alleged that the Senate has yet to create a corresponding committee.

"We therefore, formally demand that the Senate President and the 10th Senate immediately establish the Senate Standing Committee on Disability Matters," the group said.

The consortium further asked the National Assembly to create a Federal Ministry of Disability and Institute for Rehabilitation Affairs, proposing that legislation be enacted to dissolve the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and replace it with the proposed cabinet-level structure.

It also demanded live, televised oversight hearings on the floors of both chambers, saying the hearings should examine what it described as 66 years of unaccounted federal disability allocations, including CBN microfinance funds and compliance by ministries, departments and agencies with the 2018 disability law.

"Schedule live, televised Public Oversight Hearings directly on the plenary floors of both the Senate and House of Representatives," the memorandum stated.

On the ₦66 trillion claim, the group asked the National Assembly to recognise and establish a legislative framework for its settlement. It described the claim as covering alleged systemic exclusion dating from October 1, 1960 and involving eight categories of people, including persons with disabilities, Almajiri youth, trafficking survivors, domestic violence survivors, internally displaced persons, wounded combat veterans, older Nigerians and prison populations.

The consortium also demanded a forensic financial audit from 1960 to date, involving the EFCC, ICPC and Auditor-General of the Federation. The proposed audit would track federal disability allocations, CBN microfinance disbursements and international donor funds.

"Mandate a joint forensic audit by the EFCC, ICPC, and Auditor-General of the Federation tracking all federal disability allocations, CBN microfinance disbursements, and international donor credits," it said.

The memorandum further called for nationwide application of the 2018 disability law, including across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as what it described as mandatory involvement of its Civil Society Independent Monitoring Mechanism in appointments to any proposed disability ministry and rehabilitation institute.

The document was signed by Lady Omotunde Ellen Thompson, Chief Eric Ndubueze Ufom and Brigadier General Dr. Lonsdale Oladeji Adeoye (Rtd.) on behalf of the Pioneers Ad Hoc Consortium IMM.