The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has outlined plans to improve the protection, accessibility and participation of individuals with disabilities (PWDs) during the 2027 basic elections.
The plans embrace adopting disability-inclusive election safety protocols, coaching safety personnel on incapacity rights, enhancing coordination amongst election safety companies and establishing accessible channels for reporting incidents involving voters with disabilities.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, introduced the priorities at an occasion on disability-inclusive election safety and safety protocols organised by The All-Rights Foundation (TAF Africa) on Friday.
Mr Amupitan stated election credibility goes past counting votes; it means guaranteeing each eligible citizen can vote freely, safely, and with out discrimination.
“An election cannot be considered inclusive if persons with disabilities or other vulnerable groups face intimidation, insecurity or other barriers to exercising their rights,” he stated.
Five priorities
Mr Amupitan recognized 5 priorities for the 2027 elections, together with adopting clear, disability-inclusive election safety protocols aligned with INEC’s 2026 laws and pointers.
He stated the fee would additionally pursue focused coaching for cops on incapacity rights and accessible communication to allow safety personnel to reply appropriately to the wants of voters with totally different disabilities.
Other priorities embrace efficient coordination amongst INEC, the police, and different safety companies; accessible reporting mechanisms and immediate responses to incidents involving individuals with disabilities; and sustained engagement with organisations of individuals with disabilities.
Mr Amupitan stated incapacity inclusion should be built-in into election safety planning, personnel coaching, deployment and incident response via the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
He additionally introduced that INEC would quickly convene one other safety summit involving the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and different paramilitary companies.
According to him, safety personnel should perceive the particular wants of voters with totally different disabilities. People with listening to impairments could require visible lodging, whereas these with visible impairments might have verbal steerage. Voters with restricted mobility additionally require accessible polling models.
He pressured that help should protect voters with disabilities’ independence and privateness.
“We must not sabotage the voters’ independence or privacy. It must be respectful and proportionate assistance,” he stated.
Low quantity of registered voters with disabilities
The INEC chairman stated the fee had 232,000 registered voters with disabilities, representing 0.23 per cent of the voter register.
He stated the registered voters fell into 10 incapacity classes, described the determine as too low, and stated INEC was working to improve registration via on-line voter registration.
“When I took over, one of my primary conditions was to have online registration,” he stated.
Mr Amupitan cited the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as authorized frameworks supporting inclusive elections.
However, he stated implementing these protections remained a problem.
He directed INEC’s Director of Gender and Inclusivity to make copies of the fee’s Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026 accessible, noting that clauses 19, 21, 27 and 28 present for precedence entry and help for individuals with disabilities.
“The duty to protect voters extends well beyond election day. It includes voter registration, campaigns, rallies, polling stations and periods after the election,” he stated.
“Our duty is to ensure that no citizen is prevented from exercising their right to vote through avoidable circumstances such as insecurity, discrimination or institutional neglect.”
Mr Amupitan additionally counseled TAF Africa and the European Union for his or her efforts to advance electoral participation amongst individuals with disabilities and internally displaced individuals.
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