Gov’ship polls: PWDs seek inclusion, special consideration

Ahead of the off-cycle governorship election in Bayelsa State, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to give special consideration to them to cast their votes.

They said the terrain in the state makes the movement of physical challenged persons difficult.

Meanwhile, INEC has assured that they will be given premium attention at the polling units during the election as the electoral law made provisions for them to vote without stress.

Bayelsa State Chairman of Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Comrade Ekpomokumor Major Doutimiareye, made the appeal yesterday during a voter education campaign to reduce voter apathy to the barest minimum and promote the mainstreaming of PWDs in the electoral process organized by TAF Africa in collaboration with the European Union.

Programme Manager of TAF Africa, Samuel Olayemi, said the discrimination against persons with disabilities act 2018, stipulate the right of PWDs in exercising their franchise during elections.

He said, “Section 54 of the electoral acts 2022 actually made adequate provision for PWDs, when these persons are in the voting unit, they have rights to be attended to first, and there is also a provision assisting device, such as sign language interpreter, Braille, sun glasses and others for the PWDs to cast their votes.

“That is why this sensitisation is organized for them to learn more about their rights and what they also need to do to participate fully as a disabled community in the forthcoming governorship election.”