Stakeholders have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide assistive materials for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) during the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State, to enable them participate seamlessly.
The stakeholders also urged PWDs to come out en masse and vote for candidates of their choice in the election.
They spoke yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, at a town hall meeting organised by Access Nigeria Campaign Get Out the Vote (GOTV) for Persons with Disabilities, media and stakeholders. The stakeholders appealed to INEC to strengthen the voting rights of PWDs and make multiple accessible voting methods available to all voters in every election.
The clusters of the PWDs narrated their experience over the years and called for improved awareness and training of INEC Ad hoc officials on how to relate with PWDs.
They enjoined INEC to partner security agencies to give support and security to PWDs, and provide assistive materials such as braille ballot, magnifying glasses for albinos, place ballot boxes at accessible places, among others.
The state Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs. Olawumi Famuyiwa, promised to ensure greater participation of PWDs in the election.
