The Inclusive Friends Association hass raised concerns over the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to deploy voting materials for voter’s with disabilities in the 2023 general elections.
The IFA Executive Director, Grace Jerry who gave the indication at a news conference in Abuja to present the Group general election observation report wondered why the challenge of accessibility, stigma and stereotypes of person’s with disabilities persisted even with the assurances of INEC.
She lamented that braille ballot boxes guides were deployed to only 35 percent of the polling units during the 2023 elections, a development that affected the effective participation of the disabilities community in the election process.
The IFA boss further reeled out their findings on the conduct of the election and the way forward for an improved inclusive electoral process in Nigeria.
The need for both the federal and state governments to ensure that public buildings are built and renovated inline by the 2024 deadline to accommodate PWDs in their daily life was also emphasized at the briefing.
