An election observer group, Gender and Election Watch (GEW) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide dedicated polling units for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in subsequent elections in the country.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Brenda Anugwom, made the call in a statement issued on to highlights the group’s observations in the last Saturday off-cycle governorship election in Kogi state.
She decried that the low turnout of PWDs could be attributed to factors such as the location of polling units, lack of ramps and the absence of dedicated assistants at the voting centers.
Anugwom noted: “INEC should provide dedicated polling units for persons with disabilities (PWDs). The low turnout of PWDs may be attributed to factors such as the location of polling units, the lack of ramps, and the absence of dedicated assistants at the polling units for their support.”
She called on the electoral body to handover any official or ad-hoc Staff involved in electoral malpractices to security agencies to serve as deterrent.
According to her, It is crucial that INEC hand over any officials or ad-hoc staff involved in electoral malpractices to security agencies as a deterrent, in accordance with the amended Electoral Act 2022.
Anugwom stressed that security agents must remain impartial to protect the integrity of the Nigerian electoral process.
She was of the opinion that intimidation of any observer during an election is antithetical to democratic values and must be stopped immediately.
Anugwom said that the election was relatively peaceful compared to past elections.