Ahead the November 16 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) under the aegis of Access Nigeria: Disability Votes Matter campaign has called for the immediate amendment of Section 56(2) of the Electoral Act.
This is contained in a communique of the “Fourth Edition of The Access Nigeria Quarterly Roundtable on Inclusive Elections in Nigeria” held yesterday in Abuja.
According to the communique, it is important that section 56(2) of the Electoral Act be amended by the National Assembly to make it mandatory for INEC to provide PWDs voting materials to ensure relevant PWD voting materials are institutionalized.
It was jointly signed by Grace Jerry, Executive Director, Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) and Convener, Access Nigeria campaign; Isiyaku Adamu, President, National Association of the Blind; Ekaete Umoh, Chair, Disabled Peoples International (DPI) African Region; Barr Melody Omosah, President, Network for the Advancement of People with Visible Disabilities (NAPVID); and Prof. James Apam, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Kogi state.
Others are Monday Udo Tom, REC, Bayelsa state; Dr. Adekunle Ladipo Ogunmola, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Outreach and Partnerships Committee (OPC); Hajiya Amina Zakari, INEC National Commissioner and Chair Health and Welfare Committee (Former Chair Operations) and Tijani Ismail, Deputy Chairman, Committee on Electoral Matters, House of Representatives.
The forum is part of campaigns to make Nigeria’s elections more accessible and inclusive for the country’s estimated 30 million PWDs.
INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, represented by Dr. Adekunle Ladipo Ogunmola, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Commission’s Outreach and Partnerships Committee (OPC) and Hajiya Amina Zakari, among other INEC officials pledged commitment to ensuring better deals for the PWDs ahead of the elections.
Participants however commended INEC for acting on the resolutions of the third edition of the stakeholder’s round table.
“Some of these include the building of ramps in the Bayelsa state office of the commission, training of election workers on materials and processes like the Braille ballot guide, EC 30E PWD, EC 40H, priority voting,” the communique said.
It urged INEC to consider the use of apps in addition to magnifying glasses, saying apps are more effective and better to use for the PWDs.
It called for more sensitization of the media to accurately capture sign language interpreters during collation, announcement of results and other activities of the commission.
It urged INEC to retain the Braille ballot guide, Election Day Written Instructions (EC30 E PWD), magnifying glasses and priority voting for the 2019 off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states to assist voters with disabilities to vote without difficulties.
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