TQM report,
Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, CCD through the Campaign for Equal Voting Access (EVA) has enjoined the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC to mainstream over 2 million Lagosians with disabilities in the July 24 council polls.
The Executive Director of CCD and the Chairman, Campaign for Equal Voting Access, Mr. David Obinna Anyaele, stated this on Thursday at the Public Presentation of Pre-Election Assessment of Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission Provisions for PWDs Participation in the July 24, 2021 Local Government Elections held on July 22, 2021 at Elomaz Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking at the meeting, he said that it is to present their findings from Pre-Election assessment on LASIEC preparedness for the participation of Lagosians with disabilities in the forthcoming Local Government Area Elections slated to hold on July 24, 2021.
He said that they are worried that LASIEC has decided to exclude over 2 million PWDs in the July 24 council polls in Lagos.”
He lamented that despite series of petitions addressed to LASIEC, the body has refused to comply with the provision of the law on the inclusiveness of PWDs in the exercise.
We expect that access should be provided for PWDs in voting process in an election holding during the Covid-19, no one should be left behind in participating in the electoral process.
He said their findings, LASIEC is expected to make the following available at the elections:
a. Balloting cubicle and ballot boxes placed in lower position for wheelchair users, b. Information posters at the polling booths to ensure direction for the Deaf voters, c. Magnifying glasses should be made available for Persons with Albinism.
The group expect LASIEC to ensure that all of these are in place and all the stakeholders involved in the election respond to the need of PWDs.
They urged the electoral body to include PWDs as election observes or adhoc staff during the election.
The findings from the assessment of LASIEC Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, in line with the concerns raised by Organizations of Persons with Disabilities about exclusion of persons with disabilities.
Findings showed following: a. Majority of PWDs interviewed have limited knowledge about the ASIEC preparations for the forthcoming Local Councils elections because no deliberate effort has been made so far to include various disability clusters in LASIEC guidelines for the forthcoming election in Lagos.
b. There were some levels of engagement between the CSOs and LAISEC, regrettably, LASIEC failed to reach out or respond to the request from the organizations of persons with disabilities in Lagos State while preparing the electoral materials, voters’ education, recruitment of ad-hoc staff, and electoral observers among other electoral stakeholders’ engagements.
c. LASIEC excluded PWDs and other vulnerable groups in their electoral guidelines for the forthcoming election because no reference was made to PWDs in the extant LASIEC electoral guideline. By implication, many PWDs will continue to struggle in accessing electoral materials and participating on equal basis with others.
“Revealed that majority of the PWDs interviewed who plan to vote in the July 2021 forthcoming election have serious concern for their security and public safety. Many of them are worried about electoral violence and the Delta Variant of COVID-19- pandemic.”
Campaign EVA recommended the followings: a. LASIEC as a matter of urgency should collaborate with Lagos State Office for Disabilities Affairs, LASODA, JONAPWDS and other relevant OPDs to include in
their electoral guideline the disability component in order to address the needs and concerns of persons with disabilities in the forthcoming July 2021 Local Government Election.
b. LASIEC should include PWDs as ad-hoc staff, election observer and create a column for PWDs in their voters’ registration.
c. LASIEC should ensure that all polling units are accessible for PWD on wheelchairs/crutches; provisions should be made for signage posters, sign language interpreters for the hearing and auditory impaired (deaf), and Braille ballot paper for the visually impaired (blind) as well as magnifying glasses for the albinos in order to ensure inclusive electoral participation for all PWDs in Lagos State.
d. LASIEC should give voting priority to all persons with disabilities and another vulnerable group in the forthcoming elections. Bearing in mind that PWDs and in particular, a person with albinism may not be able to stay long under the scorching of the sun while on a queue to avoid another health challenge such as skin cancer,” among others.
The Campaign for Equal Voting Access (EVA) for Persons with Disabilities is the program of the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities that focuses on persons with disabilities participation in the electoral process.
The purpose of the EVA for PWDs is to ensure that electoral process in Nigeria is accessible to all irrespective of ability or disability. The goal of the Campaign is that eligible men and women with disabilities are able to participate in the electoral process on an equal basis with other members of the society.What we are doing here today is to present to you, findings from our Pre-Election assessment on LASIEC preparedness for the participation of Lagosians with disabilities in the forthcoming Local Government Area Elections slated to hold on July 24, 2021.
The group reassured of their commitment to the promotion of inclusive electoral process at local level, free from marginalization and exclusion on the grounds of disability.
The outcome of the presentation would serve as a tool for advocacy engagement and sensitization of the public on the rights of persons with disabilities to participate in political and civic activities.
“We are going to circulate the outcome of this public presentation to local and international development partners with the view to attract policy attention to the neglected issue of right of PWDs to participate in the political process of our society”.
