DISCRIMINATION AGAINST DISABLED PERSONS

The mere fact that one is disabled does not mean he should be discriminated against.
For, this Section of the Constitution also provides that a Nigerian citizen shall not be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth. Therefore, a man who was born blind must not be deprived of attaining any position he desires merely because of his disability.

A cripple cannot be disabled from contesting and indeed becoming the Governor of a State on the ground of his disability.

Discriminations do not affect public offices alone. It affects private companies and establishments too. Hence, it is unconstitutional for any company, expressly or by implication, to deprive citizens of other communities from working in that company. It is unlawful for a company to prevent women from working in that particular company or reaching any desirable position merely on the basis of sex. It is wrong and unlawful for a company to make regulations that only people from a particular religion are allowed to work or attain a position in such company to the exclusion of other persons.

Absence of discrimination under the law means equal rights for all citizens. Hence, the Constitution expressly declares that appointments into federal positions, e.g., ministries, government agencies and parastatal shall be done in such a way as to reflect the federal character principle under Nigerian laws. The federal character principle means that appointments into federal offices shall be done in such a way that every region or part of the Federation is represented in the federal government. For instance, ministers must be appointed from all the 36 States of the Federation.
To prevent discrimination, the Constitution also allows that the country must be divided into senatorial districts with all of them entitled equally to produce three senators at the National Assembly. Similar principles apply to federal constituencies throughout the country which are allowed to send their elected representatives to the House of Representatives.