2027 Polls: No Voter Should Be Denied Rights Over Disability, Insecurity – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to strengthen measures to protect persons with disabilities from intimidation, violence and other barriers during the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the call on Friday at a high-level technical engagement on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols in Abuja.

Amupitan said electoral security arrangements must address the specific challenges faced by persons with disabilities, including inaccessible polling units, communication barriers, harassment and threats of violence.

He said the credibility of elections depended not only on the conduct of voting but also on whether every eligible citizen could exercise the right to vote freely, safely and without discrimination.

“The credibility of our elections depends not only on the voting process but also on the ability of every eligible citizen to participate freely, safely and without discrimination,” he said.

The INEC chairman stressed the need to protect persons with disabilities against intimidation, harassment and insecurity that could prevent them from exercising their voting rights.

He cited the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Discrimination DisabilitiesminaProhibit framework) 018Prohibitframework018 as legal frameworks supporting inclusive electoral participation.

He also referenced Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and INEC’s 2026 Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, which provide for priority access, assistance and appropriate voting materials for persons with disabilities.

Amupitan urged security personnel to maintain professionalism and impartiality while ensuring that assistance provided to voters with disabilities did not compromise their dignity, privacy, independence or freedom of choice.

He called for disability-related concerns to be incorporated into security assessments, personnel training, deployment plans and emergency-response procedures ahead of the elections.

According to him, preparations should include identifying polling units that are difficult to access, locations prone to congestion, potential security flashpoints and communication barriers that could prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots.

The INEC chairman also advocated stronger cooperation among the commission, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

He said improved coordination would facilitate timely information-sharing, clarify the responsibilities of participating agencies and ensure prompt responses to emerging security threats.

Amupitan identified clear disability-inclusive security protocols, specialised training for police officers, accessible incident-reporting channels and sustained engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities as necessary measures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The engagement, held at the Abujal, brought together security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, organisations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to develop strategies for safer and more accessible elections.