CVR: INEC urges registrants to include disability type for 2023 general election

By Laraba Ajibda

For the purpose of adequate preparations ahead of the 2023 general elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on registrants to include their disability type, if there is to enable the commission to provide needed materials for the Voter on election day.

INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) where they discussed the commencement of the physical Continuous Voter Registration on 19th July among other updates.

According to the Chairman, to serve all Nigerians better, the Commission has requested registrants to indicate their disability (if any).

“So far, we have data for 6,558 registrants who have clearly indicated their type of disability”

“This will enable us to optimally and efficiently deploy assistive voting devices such as Braille ballot guide and magnifying glasses for persons with special needs at polling units on election day.”

“Commission has provide Nigerians with information on the distribution of registrants across the States of the Federation and by age, occupation, gender and disability. ”

Explaining the breakdown of how Nigerians have registered online since the beginning of the CVR.

He added “Out of 542,576 online registrants so far, 356,777 (or 66%) are young people between the ages of 18 and 34 years. This is followed by 134,719 middle aged registrants who fall between 35 and 49 years.

“The third category is elderly persons aged between 50 and 69 years of which 44,896 Nigerians have registered. Interestingly, some 6,184 senior citizens (aged 70 years and above) have taken advantage of the new online opportunity to register.

“On occupational distribution of registrants, 156,446 are students; 38,217 artisans; 24,421 farmers and fishermen; 150,145 businessmen and traders; 35,831 employed as civil and public servants and 8,334 housewives. The remaining 129,182 registrants did not specify their occupations. On gender, 321,781 are male while 220,795 are female.”

The Chairman announced that “The list of the 811 centres for the take-off of the physical registration nationwide, including their locations and dedicated telephone numbers for each State Office nationwide in case of enquiry by citizens, has been uploaded on our website and social media platforms.”