PWDs Call For Inclusive Electoral Process

Persons with disabilities have called for greater inclusion in Nigeria’s electoral process, urging authorities to provide adequate assistive tools to support their participation.

Speaking during a Multi-stakeholder Round table on the Inclusion Agenda organized by Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), The SDN Country Director, Florence Ibok-Abasi said discussions focused on critical issues such as access to voter registration, collection of Permanent Voter Cards, and active participation of persons with disabilities in political parties and elections.

She noted that persons with disabilities have diverse needs, ranging from visual and hearing impairments to mobility challenges, stressing that tailored solutions are necessary to ensure meaningful inclusion.

Ibok-Abasi added that SDN has been at the forefront of advocacy, working with the Rivers State Government to develop policies on gender and youth inclusion, while also pushing for reforms to align disability laws with international standards.

“As an organization, we’ve been a part of this process since the last election, when we put together the women and youth agenda, where we also incorporated demands from the persons with disabilities.”

“These demands were brought forward during a governorship debate that we actually organized at the time, and also our advocacy, with political parties as well, just trying to raise attention to some of these issues” Ibok-Abasi said.

Also speaking, the Rivers State Head of Voter Education and Publicity at Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Geraldine Ekelemu, highlighted measures introduced by the commission to support persons with disabilities.

She said INEC has created a dedicated department for disability issues and introduced an online component to the Continuous Voter Registration process, allowing people to complete key steps remotely. She added that registration has been decentralized to the ward level to improve accessibility.

“INEC is actually doing a lot where when we have elections and during our coalition processes we engage sign language interpreters because we also know that persons with disabilities, particularly persons with hearing impairment or other disabilities that may not be part of the result announcement processes are able to understand what is going on and also know who has emerged winner. So these are a lot more INEC is doing”. She said.

Ekelemu further explained that data collection tools are being used to identify the specific needs of voters with disabilities, ensuring the deployment of appropriate assistive materials on election day. She also noted the use of sign language interpreters during result announcements.

Participants at the roundtable called for more practical support, including assistive tools during voting. One participant, Mrs Ifeyinwa Djegbada, welcomed INEC’s commitment to allow alternative voting methods, including toe voting, for those unable to use their hands.

She also urged the National Orientation Agency to improve awareness campaigns targeting persons with disabilities, while political parties were encouraged to create opportunities for their participation, including contesting for elective positions.

Another participant, Nwosu Justice, commended SDN for its continued advocacy, noting that many persons with disabilities are now more aware of their rights due to sustained training and engagement.

Mr. Justice however, pointed out that discrimination remains a major challenge, even within families, and called for more efforts to promote acceptance and inclusion.

The roundtable ended with renewed commitment from stakeholders to work together in building a more inclusive electoral system in Nigeria.

The event, hosted by Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), convened representatives from the Independent National Electoral Commission, National Orientation Agency, Rivers State Government, and the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, among others.