The Albino Foundation Africa (TAF Africa) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), to fulfil its promise to the community of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) by adequately deploying assistive tools in the March 11 governorship elections.
Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, Mr Jake Epelle, made the call on Wednesday while presenting the Post Election report on the participation of PWDs in the just concluded presidential and National Assembly Elections at the PWD Election Hub funded by the European Union .
Mr Epelle said the deployment the tools would help restore confidence of the disability community in the electoral process prevent the lacuna witnessed by PWDs in last week election,
“INEC was expected to provide 21,165 magnifying glasses at 16,071 Polling units for persons with albinism and minor visual impairment, 6,167 posters at 5,085 PUs for those with hearing impairment, and 8,117 braille ballot guides at 5,957 PUs for the visually impaired”.
“Unfortunately, these expectations were not totally met and it successfully frustrated the participation of PWDs in the elections” Epelle said.
“The process was flawed by violence, the lateness of polling officials, and the communication gap by INEC. For instance, in the FCT, Gwarinpa ward, KARON-MAJIGI disabled community polling unit, persons with disabilities were not allowed priority voting which discouraged their participation despite having a good number of persons with disabilities registered. Kubwa Village/Kofar Sarki and Deidei primary school front of primary two block both in Kubwa Ward, Bwari area council are expected to have at least six and 13 registered visually impaired persons respectively. As such at least one braille ballot guide should be provided at these polling units. On the contrary, large font posters for the deaf were the only assistive devices made available.
“To this, TAF Africa calls on INEC to provide details on how assistive tools were deployed to various polling units, bearing in mind the various clusters of disabilities and their peculiar needs.
“We also appeal to the Independent National Electoral Commission to fulfill its promise to the community of persons with disabilities by adequately deploying the assistive tools in the march 11 gubernatorial and state assembly elections and address the issues presented from the just concluded elections.
“This will help build the confidence of the disability community in the electoral process, which was marred by the unsatisfactory delivery of the presidential and national assembly elections.”
