INEC pledges inclusive voting for PwDs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pledged to strengthen electoral accessibility for persons with disabilities (PwDs) ahead of the 2027 general elections. The commission said it would provide assistive materials, improve polling unit accessibility and train electoral officials to ensure inclusive participation. Gombe State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Umar Gajiram, gave the assurance on Monday during a sensitisation workshop in Gombe.

Gajiram, represented by the Administrative Secretary, Hajiya Fadimatu Bakari, said every Nigerian deserved equal opportunities to participate in democratic processes. He stressed that disability should never prevent eligible citizens from exercising their constitutional voting rights. According to him, INEC recognises that persons with disabilities have equal rights and that their votes, voices and contributions matter.

He said the commission was implementing measures to remove barriers preventing PwDs from participating fully in elections. These include providing assistive materials, ensuring accessible polling units, training electoral officials and collaborating with disability organisations. Gajiram stressed that disability inclusion must be integrated into every electoral activity rather than treated as an additional responsibility.

“Disability inclusion should not be treated as an additional responsibility but as an important part of our work,” he said. He urged Disability Desk Officers (DDOs) to maintain regular engagement with PwDs and communicate their challenges to the commission. He also encouraged participants to speak openly about their experiences and recommend improvements to electoral arrangements.

“As we look forward to 2027, our goal is simple: to ensure that no eligible Nigerian is left out of the electoral process because of disability,” he said. He said INEC wanted wheelchair users to access polling units easily and visually impaired voters to receive appropriate assistance. Similarly, he said, persons with hearing impairments should have access to election information, enabling every eligible voter to participate with dignity and confidence.

Also speaking, Gombe State Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPwD), Mallam Gambo Ahmad, commended INEC for organising the workshop. He described the arrangements as exceptional compared with previous engagements, particularly the provision of accessible communication materials. Ahmad specifically appreciated INEC for providing Braille materials for visually impaired participants and an interpreter for effective communication.

He said the arrangements ensured participants could understand the discussions and contribute meaningfully to the proceedings. He identified intellectual disabilities, hearing impairments, physical disabilities, visual impairments, spinal cord injuries and leprosy-related disabilities among conditions represented in Gombe. Others, he said, included persons with albinism, adding that people with different disabilities remained members of the same community.

“We are all part of this community, although we face different challenges,” Ahmad said. He, however, urged INEC to ensure adequate representation of persons with disabilities among its temporary electoral personnel during the elections. Ahmad said many PwDs possessed the necessary qualifications and capacity to serve in different electoral positions.

“Some can serve as electoral officers, while others can perform different supporting roles,” he said. He argued that employing PwDs in election administration would encourage greater participation and strengthen public confidence. According to him, seeing persons with disabilities administering elections would demonstrate INEC’s commitment to genuine inclusion.

Ahmad urged the commission to sustain and strengthen its disability inclusion initiatives beyond the 2027 general elections. Also, the Gombe State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Hajiya Maimuna Abubakar, commended INEC for organising the workshop. She described the initiative as an important step towards promoting justice and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Abubakar maintained that electoral participation was a fundamental right, not a privilege. She said every eligible Nigerian, including persons with disabilities, had the right to register, vote and participate in choosing national leaders. She encouraged PwDs not to isolate themselves because of their conditions but to register and participate actively in elections.

The NOA director also pledged the agency’s readiness to collaborate with INEC in providing necessary information and support. She said the collaboration would help ensure persons with disabilities were adequately informed and equipped to participate in the electoral process.