The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stepped up efforts to increase the participation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the 2027 general elections, beginning strategic engagement with disability groups across the country.
The Commission’s engagement with the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and cluster heads focused on sensitisation and mobilisation ahead of the elections.
Representing INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, at the meeting, Acting Chairman Prof. Rhoda Gumus said the engagement was timely as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
Gumus said INEC was committed to building an electoral process that was “inclusive, accessible, participatory and responsive” to the needs of all eligible citizens.
She said the participation of PWDs was backed by 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.
INEC Targets Disability-Specific Voter Education
The Acting Chairman stressed the need for innovative approaches to voter education to ensure that eligible voters with disabilities were not left behind.
She identified disability-specific communication channels, community-based organisations, radio, social media and other assistive formats as important tools for reaching PWDs ahead of the elections.
According to her, the objective was to ensure that eligible voters with disabilities were “adequately informed, effectively reached and meaningfully involved at every stage of the electoral process.”
INEC disclosed that its available data, compiled before the introduction of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, had 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.
Gumus urged JONAPWD and OPDs to take ownership of the sensitisation campaign by reaching members within their respective disability clusters with information on voter registration, Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), voting procedures and accessibility measures.
She said the engagement would also provide an opportunity for stakeholders to identify barriers preventing PWDs from participating fully in elections and develop practical solutions before, during and after the 2027 polls.
Braille Guides, Sign Language Support
INEC Director of Gender and Inclusivity, Mrs Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, highlighted several measures already introduced by the Commission to improve accessibility for voters with disabilities.
She listed Braille ballot guides, magnifying glasses, the EC30 PWD form and sign-language interpretation during collation activities among the measures.
The Commission said its engagement with disability organisations was part of broader efforts to ensure that the 2027 electoral process accommodates eligible voters regardless of physical or communication barriers.
INEC maintained that stronger collaboration with disability groups would be critical to identifying gaps in the electoral system and ensuring that accessibility measures translate into meaningful participation at the polling units and other stages of the electoral process.
