Lagos- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is committed to providing strong support for the mainstreaming of disabilities’ issues in the electoral process in the forthcoming 2023 general elections
Prof. Kunle Ajayi, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Outreach and Partnership Committee (OPC), made this remark in Lagos at the opening ceremony of the BRIDGE Modular Training on Access and Participation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the Electoral Process for INEC Disability Desk Officers.
The five-day training, which brought together INEC desk officers across the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory, was organised in partnership with European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES).
Ajayi said: “The non-negotiable minimum of a credible and democratic electioneering process is its inclusivity- ability of all stakeholders to access and participate in the electoral space on the basis of equality.
“Section 54 (2) of the Electoral Act 2022 and other legal instruments empower the commission to take reasonable steps to ensure PWDs, special needs and vulnerable persons are given support at the polling place by the provision of assistive devices.
“The commission also has as one of its core values, the creation of a level playing field for all stakeholders to participate in, especially the marginalised groups, including the PWDs.”
According to him, the training is part of the commission’s Strategic Plan of Action (SPA) designed to sharpen and enrich the working knowledge of INEC new desk officers.
He said that the training was meant to refresh the memories of other officers with longer experience at the disability desk of their responsibilities as frontline implementers of the commission’s PWDs’ policies.
Ajayi urged the staff to appreciate various innovations and the changing dynamics on
PWD electoral issues.
He said that the commission was counting on their expertise as foot soldiers on PWDs responsive policies for effective coordination and implementation of INEC disability focal programmes.
Reiterating the unwavering commitment of the commission to PWDs sensitive actions, Ajayi said INEC had a Framework on Access and Participation of PWDs in the Electoral Process and had almost completed work on Disability Inclusive Guide.
“This is a tool for reference in mainstreaming disability issues in the electoral process, which will further firm up the Commission’s resolve on electoral inclusivity to serve PWDs community better,” the INEC boss said.
In his opening remarks, Mr Olusegun Agbaje, INEC Resident Electoral Commission in Lagos State, said that the training sought to raise the level of staff professionalism in election administration.
Agbaje described the training as another demonstration of INEC’s resolve not to leave any stone unturned in achieving the conduct of flawless elections.
“In the bid to ensure that no segment of the society is excluded from the electoral process, the Independent National Electoral Commission consistently pursues the principle of inclusiveness with uncanny vigour,” Agbaje said.
He said that INEC had put some measures in place to make the electoral process more friendly to the PWDs which include creation of regular interactive platforms, provision of Braille ballots, magnifying glasses, sign language interpreters, redesigning of voter registration centres and Polling Units (PUs) for easy access to PWDs.
Speaking, Mr Hamza Fassi-Fihri, the ECES Country Representative said that the training was organised within the European Union funded Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme (EU-SDGN).
Fassi-Fihri said that it was to familiarising INEC officials with the International, regional and national PWD inclusion policies as well as INEC Special Voting Rights tools.
He said that the training was to equip them with strategies that would ensure the safety of these special group of persons before, during and after elections as well as ensuring increased inclusion and participation of PWDs in the electoral processes.
“Indeed, ensuring their right to vote and be voted for is one of the most visible gains in any thriving democracy.
“Promoting these rights and freedom to equally participate in elections is provided in both local and international declarations, protocols and instruments as endorsed by the United Nations, African Union and the Economic Community of West African States among others.
“It’s also ratified by the Nigerian State. A truly representative electoral outcome is one that is totally inclusive,” Fassi-Fihri said.
According to him, since the constitution does not alienate Persons With Disabilities from voting and contesting, it therefore becomes critical to put in place measures that will minimise or eliminate discriminatory practices.
“We are in a society where PWDs face several obstacles around key processes within the electoral and political process which tends to subtract their contributions towards development of the electoral and political landscape.
“While INEC has put in place a disability framework towards providing a level playing field for the PWD community, other stakeholders including from government, political parties, security agencies among others, have important contributions to make towards actualisation of a truly inclusive society.
“This is also in line with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and envisions an inclusive and non-discriminatory planet by 2030,” he added.
