Stakeholders have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide assistive materials for Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) during the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State, to enable them participate seamlessly.
The stakeholders also urged PWDs to come out en masse and vote for candidates of their choice in the election.
They spoke yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, at a town hall meeting organised by Access Nigeria Campaign Get Out the Vote (GOTV) for Persons with Disabilities, media and stakeholders. The stakeholders appealed to INEC to strengthen the voting rights of PWDs and make multiple accessible voting methods available to all voters in every election.
The clusters of the PWDs narrated their experience over the years and called for improved awareness and training of INEC Ad hoc officials on how to relate with PWDs.
They enjoined INEC to partner security agencies to give support and security to PWDs, and provide assistive materials such as braille ballot, magnifying glasses for albinos, place ballot boxes at accessible places, among others.
The state Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs. Olawumi Famuyiwa, promised to ensure greater participation of PWDs in the election.
She said NOA had considered the electoral rights of every citizen and taken steps to remove barriers that would restrict full participation of PWDs as voters and candidates.
The Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons Living with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Kayode Owolabi, said the association had put in place measures to ensure that its members were included in the electoral process in the country.
He said INEC had promised to provide Braille Ballot Guide and magnifying glasses for visually’ impaired persons during the election.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State Council, represented by the state Secretary, Mr. Kayode Babatuyi, said the role of INEC in a democracy was to conduct free, fair, credible and inclusive election.
He said the electoral body was also expected to provide an enabling environment for eligible citizens, irrespective of gender, tribe and disability to exercise their constitutional rights and privileges to vote and be voted for during election.
The Country Director, National Democratic Institute, Dr. Steve Snook, represented by the Programme Officer, Judith Edosa, promised to continue to support programmes that would make life better for PWDs.