…deploys 700 observers nationwide

…EU, Canadian Envoys assure continued support

…as CSOs task INEC on credible polls

By Gabriel Ewepu

WITH few hours to the presidential and National Assembly elections, an election observer, The Albino Foundation, TAF, Africa, Friday, called on Persons With Disability, PWDs, across the country to defy insecurity threats and vote for candidates of their choice.

The call was made by the Chief Executive Officer, CEO and Founder, TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, while launching the first PWDs Election Hub and Dashboard, in Abuja, and funded by the European Union, EU, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Jake, while speaking on the importance of the 2023 general elections disclosed that 34 PWDs are contesting for various elective positions.

He also on behalf of the management and board of TAF Africa appreciated and commended the EU for massively funding the electoral process including TAF Africa, which he described as the biggest investment by the EU for the elections.

He said: “Let me also use this opportunity to call on our community, the community of persons with disability, please go out and exercise your franchise.

“Do not be burdened by the state of insecurity, but it’s also important that you stay safe wherever you are.

“Do not give in to vote buying, violence, we are a very peaceful community and the opportunity for us to participate in the electoral process is here.

“From the data we have, we believe that we have over 34 persons with disability even though we have some of them that may not eventually participate in the process but from the data we have 34 of them will be contesting for various elective positions.

“We want to use this opportunity to call on the electorate to vote our candidates across the board. This is not a clarion call to anybody to vote for a particular party or a candidate but please go out there and vote for a candidate of your choice.

“This election presents to us the community of persons with disabilities the opportunity to fully participate and why? Simply because one, the products for us to participate will be made available, INEC for the first time would deploy well over 20,000 magnifying glasses, braille ballot papers for the blind, and also there are posters for our community of persons who are deaf.”

Meanwhile, he also hailed INEC for the priority accorded PWDs during the electoral process.

“And we are also glad to mention that there will be priority voting and it is mandated by the Electoral Act Section 54 (subsection 1and 2) that when a person with disability is at the polling unit they are given the first right of vote.

“We are glad to say that INEC Chairman a few days ago, publicly pronounced that wherever persons with disability require some form of access and the ballot paper is placed where they don’t have access to that whole ballot boxes at the unit will be brought down to where they can vote. That is a welcome development and we applaud INEC for that.”

He also disclosed that TAF Africa will deploy 700 observers for the 2023 elections nationwide.

Also explaining essence of the PWDs Election Hub for the 2023 general election, the Project Manager, TAF Africa, Ndifreke Ferdinand, also pointed out that INEC should consider creating queues for PWDs to help them quickly cast their vote and leave, because some of them cannot withstand heat from the sun, and also their strength cannot carry for too long under pressure, and added that they should be given adequate protection during the election, and asked Nigerians to also politely treat PWDs.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, ElectHer, Ibijoke Faborode, expressed concern over accessibility of polling units due to restriction to both vehicular movements for those whose polling units are not close on Election Day, fear of violence, recent scarcity of Nigerian Naira, could affect and discourage participation of PWDs.

However, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC, Clement Nwankwo who commended the push by TAF Africa and other CSOs that brought about inclusion of PWDs in the 2022 Electoral Act and commended support of the EU said “no one is really expecting an excellent elections but really represent the people of Nigeria.”

Also in a goodwill message, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, James Christoff, commended TAF Africa for championing the cause of PWDs, and assured continued support for TAF Africa.

In the same vein, Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Samuela Isopi, promised to walk together with TAF on inclusivity and give more support.

TAF Africa also launched its PWDs Dashboard for the 2023 general election, where all data about is accessed and also all data will be sent to during the election.