The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced strategic engagement with the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities and cluster heads to boost the participation of persons with disabilities in the 2027 general elections.
The engagement, which focused on sensitisation and mobilisation, is aimed at ensuring that eligible voters with disabilities are adequately informed, effectively reached and meaningfully involved at every stage of the electoral process.
In a post on its X handle on Wednesday, representing the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, said the engagement was timely as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
Gumus said, “The Commission is committed to building an electoral process that is inclusive, accessible, participatory and responsive to the needs of all eligible citizens.”
She noted that the participation of persons with disabilities is supported by relevant legal and policy frameworks, including Section 54 of the Electoral Act 2026, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 and INEC’s Framework on Access and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the Electoral Process.
Gumus, however, stressed the need for innovative approaches to voter education.
She said, “We must explore innovative approaches to voter education, including disability-specific communication channels, community-based organisations, radio, social media and other assistive formats.”
The Commission disclosed that its available data, compiled before the introduction of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, recorded 137,487 persons with disabilities.
The figure comprises 13,080 visually impaired persons, 9,299 hearing-impaired persons, 30,561 persons with albinism, 19,430 persons with physical impairments and 54,941 persons under other disability categories.
The Acting Chairman urged JONAPWD and OPDs to take ownership of the sensitisation process by reaching their members across the various disability clusters with information on voter registration, PVC collection, voting procedures, accessibility measures and other aspects of the electoral process.
Gumus said, “I urge JONAPWD and the Organisations of Persons with Disabilities to take ownership of this sensitisation process and ensure that members within your respective clusters receive timely and accurate information.”
According to her, the engagement would help stakeholders identify barriers to participation, share successful strategies and agree on practical actions to be implemented before, during and after the 2027 elections.
She said, “This engagement provides an opportunity to identify barriers to participation, share successful strategies and agree on practical actions that can be implemented before, during and after the elections.”
Director of Gender and Inclusivity, Mrs Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, highlighted some measures already introduced by INEC to improve accessibility for voters with disabilities.
These include Braille ballot guides, magnifying glasses, the EC30 PWD form and sign-language interpretation during collation activities.
The Commission said the engagement formed part of its broader efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities are better informed and able to participate fully in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
