INEC Commits To Further Inclusion of PWDs In Electoral Process
By Progress Godfrey
Taking advantage of the inclusion crusade by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Albino Foundation (TAF) has expressed its readiness to be involved in the 2023 general elections by ensuring that, not less than 700 People with Disabilities, (PWDs) are deployed to participate as observers.
The CEO and Founder of The Albino Foundation (TAF), Jake Epelle, stated at the Able2Vote North-Central, a project of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN). The campaign was put in place with the aim of reducing voter apathy to the barest minimum and to promote the inclusion of PWDs in electoral processes.
Jake Epelle, the CEO of TAF and a person with Albinism, commended INEC for the various milestones achieved so far in ensuring robust participation of PWDs in the electoral process. He noted that the formation of a Disability Desk by INEC in all states, as well as other laudable achievements, were proof of the Commission’s commitment.
Epelle said, “I’m grateful to God, that today, we are gathered here, all shades of PWDs; we are gathered here to say no to voter apathy. We are gathered here to say no to non-access to the electoral process. We are here to say yes to the organisation that is strictly determined and focused on making sure that the electoral process is inclusive.
“We are going to be deploying 700 members of persons with disabilities as observers. We are going to deploy, in partnership with INEC, an on-the-spot app that will give us on the spot assessment of what is happening in the polling units.
We are also going to deploy members of the community as interns to ensure that we begin to give the opportunity for persons with disability to learn from those who are already in the house, so they can be future legislators.”
The CEO of TAF informed that the group, for the first time in Nigeria’s history deployed sign language interpreters in the two Houses of National Assembly.
“We have a sign language interpreter in the Senate, we have a sign language interpreter in the House of Representatives, and their salaries will be paid for 3 years,” he said.
In his keynote address, INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood, informed that, at least 19 million Nigerians are estimated to be PWDs. Recall that the INEC had said that 95 million voters are eligible to vote in 2023 elections.
Continuing, the INEC Chairman said: “The National Population Commission estimates that at least 19 million Nigerians are living with disabilities. From our records, many of them are registered voters.
In partnership with the disability community, INEC will continue to promote inclusivity, not in a symbolic way, but in a very practical way. Our emphasis is not just their participation as candidates during elections in particular, but involvement in the election process in general.”
Speaking to the Explainer about increased inclusion facilitated by the INEC, Ms. Ruth Madojemu, who lives with Albinism and is also a fine artist said she used to be overwhelmed by the fear of violence at elections and the challenges of lack of accessibility.
“Elections used to make me scared. When I get to the polling units, I see how people are pushing themselves, I see the long queue; I see the crowd, and there is no shelter to hide yourself, but now is not like that.
The election is now accessible to every participant both PWDs and non PWDs, in the sense that there is magnifying glass for people like me with Albinism. I can easily see through the magnifier, I no longer join the queue, due to the ray of the sun. You know how dangerous the sun could be to our health. And there is provision of ramps for the physically challenged, people on wheelchair and now there are sign language interpreters to assist the deaf.
“There is a huge sum of improvement and I really appreciate this,” Ms Madojemu said.
For Agbo Chris, a member of the PWDs community and journalist resident in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the effort to make the electoral process more inclusive is a welcome development. His words: “What it means is that INEC is beginning to implement the Section 29 of Disability Act which stipulates that five percent of every employment opportunity should be reserved for persons with disabilities. So, the implication is that INEC has recognised that five percent employment opportunity by giving PWDs this opportunity of being recruited as ad hoc staff in this next election.
“It is what they have been doing, I think they also did that in Osun election. They have taken it a step further by also implicating it in the general election, it is a welcome development and is something that other organisations have to emulate, to include persons with disabilities in whatever they are doing. PWDs are capable; they are dedicated in whatever they do. I believe that whenever they are given such opportunities, they will always be at their best.”
