25 million physically challenged disenfranchise from voting – INEC
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), has lamented the disenfranchising of person living with disabilities from voting in election across Nigeria, totaled up to 25 million.
Speaking at a two-day workshop tagged ‘Strengthening Citizens’ Engagement In Electoral Processes In Nigeria,’ INEC’s Head of Department, Voters Education and Publicity in Plateau State, Mr. Osarentin Imahiyerobo, tasked civil society organizations to develop programmes that will sensitize and mobilize people living with disabilities to participate in election process and voting.
Represented by Mrs. Nancy Nwosu, a staff of INEC, he said that a statistic of 25 million Nigerians living with disabilities lack basic information on electioneering, adding that INEC has provided needed materials to accommodate the disables.
Imahiyerobo said that the disabled Right Commission should step up its campaign in information on electoral education aimed at the disabled to have more participation in the Plateau State Local Government Election coming up some time this year and the general election in 2019.
In his words, “INEC is passionate about the disables and that is why we have created a desk officer where they can come and get whatever information they need as regarding elections.
“In the 2015 election, we trained our adhoc staff to give them special attention by attending to them first during accreditation and voting.”
INEC also called on the Disabled Right Commission to mobilize the physically challeged to get their PVC now that the continues voters registration is on going, because the law is that no PVC, no voting.
However, the the 2-day workshop which was held in partnership with Ukaid, Actionaid Nigeria, BBC Media Action, Situation Room and Community Action for Popular participation, is aimed at improving Nigeria’s electoral process through a more robust involvement of citizens in the electoral process.
