Buhari Appoints Virtually Impaired Man As Special Assistant

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a visually impaired man, Dr. Samuel Ankeli, as his Senior Special Assistant with responsibility for his dealings with persons living with disability.
Dr. Ankeli headed the Directorate of Persons with Disability at the Buhari/Osinbajo APC presidential campaign headquarters, the first of any such department in a political party in Nigeria.

He led a team that successfully mobilised a large number from the more than 24 million disabled persons in the country to support the All Progressives Congress candidate and his running mate during the 2015 presidential election campaign.


Dr. Ankeli, who hails from Benue State, went to school in Giwa, near Zaria and Kaduna, afterwards headed to the Ahmadu Bello University to study veterinary medicine.

He worked with the Benue State government before quitting to give time to his activist role in the promotion of the well-being of the blind and people with all kinds of disability.

Dr. Samuel Inalegwu Ode Ankeli is married with children as well as leads a very active religious and sporting life.