2027: INEC ‌restates commitment to electoral inclusion for PWDs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Wednesday, restated its commitment to full electoral inclusion for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) during the 2027 General Elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, Mr Chukwuemeka Ibeziako, gave the assurance in Owerri, during a workshop on Disability Inclusion, Accessibility, and Effective Deployment of INEC’s adaptive interventions.

Declaring the sensitisation workshop open, Ibeziako emphasised that the Electoral Act made it mandatory for the commission to deploy special provisions accommodating voters with special needs.

He said that INEC was actively reaching out to all segments of society to guarantee that every eligible citizen participated seamlessly in shaping the nation’s democratic processes.

“Fundamentally, the Electoral Act has made it expressly mandatory that INEC makes special provisions to accommodate the special needs of persons with disability,” Ibeziako said.

He disclosed that advanced plans were underway to produce braille voter guides to ensure that visually impaired electorate cast votes independently without relying on aides or compromising secrecy.

He further said that specialised, express attention would be accorded to PWDs, elderly voters, pregnant women, and nursing mothers at polling units to prevent undue stress during voting.

He explained that the workshop was designed to harvest genuine fears, concerns, and recommendations from stakeholders, adding that similar awareness sessions would be cascaded to all local government areas.

Also speaking, the Deputy Director of the Gender and Inclusivity Department at INEC Headquarters, Mrs Habiba Jatto, emphasised that disability inclusion remained central to a participatory democracy.

Jatto said the commission’s commitment was anchored on Section 54 of the Electoral Act, 2026 (as amended) and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.

She explained that the workshop aimed to sensitise stakeholders on deploying assistive tools, such as braille ballot guides, EC30 PWD instruction posters, and magnifying glasses for persons with albinism.

“The availability of inclusive interventions is only one part; effective deployment, utilisation, and monitoring are equally critical areas that should not be taken for granted,” Jatto said.

She urged Electoral Officers and disability cluster heads to strengthen grassroots voter education in special schools, camps, and settlements to ensure no eligible voter was disenfranchised in 2027.

In a goodwill message, the state Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Mr Chidubem Uzodinma, thanked INEC for recognising political participation as a fundamental right.

Uzodinma, however, decried physical barriers at many polling units.

He said, “Most of the voting centres are not accessible to PWDs, which makes most of us lack the energy to come to exercise our franchise.”

He called for dedicated ballot boxes to further assist PWDs during voting.

He further advocated comprehensive orientation for security personnel deployed on election duties to ensure proper handling and the safety of PWDs at polling stations nationwide.

Also, the state Director of the National Orientation Agency, Mrs Stellamaris Oparaugo, represented by Mrs Mercy Nwosu, an agency’s official, assured INEC of sustained grassroots sensitisation, ahead of 2027 General Elections.

Oparaugo urged PWDs to actively take advantage of the commission’s inclusive infrastructure, while recommending targeted training for electoral officers on adaptive voting equipment and procedures.

(NAN)