Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu
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The chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has called on governments, proprietors of schools and owners of premises used during elections to provide an accessible environment for persons with disability, PWDs, during election process.
Yakubu made this appeal on wednesday in abuja at the campaign event to promote inclusivity and the mainstreaming of persons with disabilities (pwds) in the electoral process, organized by the albino foundation in abuja, said “PWDs’ are citizens and have the right to participate in all areas of human activity without stigma or discrimination.”
According to him the National Population Commission (NPC) estimates that at least nineteen (19) million nigerians are living with disabilities.
Therefore, systematic exclusion of pwds on account of disability has affected a significant part of the nigerian population from effective participation in many areas of human endeavour, especially political and leadership roles at all levels. this is unacceptable.”
We owe it a duty to our democratic and electoral processes as well as national growth and development to encourage their active participation as citizens with equal rights.
They constitute the category of marginalised groups along with women and youths. therefore, all barriers to their inclusion must be dismantled. in partnership with the disability community, inec will continue to promote inclusivity, not in a symbolic but practical way.
“Our emphasis is not just on their participation as candidates during elections in particular but involvement in the electoral process in general. already, we have taken several practical steps in this direction.
The commission launched “INEC framework on access and participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process, beyond that, a new department of gender and inclusivity headed by a director was established after the 2019 general election.”
However, there is so much to do to address the persistent gap in political participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in party leadership and nomination of candidates for elections. i urge parties to do more.
“Once again commend the Albino Foundation for collaborating with INEC and other relevant stakeholders for working tirelessly towards enhancing the political participation of pwds in the electoral process in nigeria.’
Meanwhile, Founder, Albino Foundation, Mr Jake Epelle has affirmed the expansion of participation of PWDs’ during and after elections process to enable them take part in upcoming elections.
“We are going to be deploying 700 members of persons with disability as observers, in our electoral hub. in partnership with inec, we will deploy a one stop application that will give us on a spot assessment of what is happening in every polling unit in real time data, video.
“We are also deploying members of the community as interns. this time not at abuja where everything is centred but we are going to the states to ensure they begin to give opportunities to persons with disabilities to learn from those who are already in the house.
so that they can be future legislators.
“We are deploying for the first time sign language interpreters for the two houses of the national assembly and their salary to be paid for three years.
“we also need to attach a sign language interpreter to the inec chairman wherever he goes”.
