By Mercy Peter
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has engaged the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to strengthen sensitisation and mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The engagement, held Wednesday in Abuja, focused on improving voter turnout and participation among Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), with representatives of disability organisations, cluster heads, development partners and INEC officials in attendance.
Represented by Acting Chairman and National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to an inclusive and accessible electoral process. He said the initiative was anchored on relevant disability and electoral laws, including Section 54 of the Electoral Act, 2026 (as amended).
Amupitan disclosed that 137,487 PWDs had been captured in data obtained before the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) exercise. He said the figure highlighted the need for sustained engagement to ensure adequate information, mobilisation and support throughout the electoral process.
The Director of Gender and Inclusivity, Mrs. Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, identified limited voter information, education gaps and inaccessible electoral facilities as persistent challenges. She called for targeted and accessible sensitisation strategies.
The Executive Director of Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Grace Jerry, advocated mapping PWD networks, accessible voter education, registration support and monitoring of participation barriers. She urged stakeholders to extend mobilisation to communities, campuses, markets and digital platforms.
JONAPWD National President, Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu Usman, commended INEC’s disability inclusion policy but called for more frequent strategic engagements, stressing that one national meeting would not be sufficient to guarantee full participation in the 2027 elections.
The NCPWD Executive Secretary, Barrister Ayuba Gufwan Burki, highlighted mobility challenges and limited access to assistive devices, while TAF Africa CEO, Jake Epelle, called for improved polling unit accessibility and deeper grassroots mobilisation across the states and FCT.
