Off-cycle elections: INEC designates 2,238 polling units for PWDs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has designated 2,238 polling units for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in the November 11, 2023 off-cycle elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states.

Kunle Ajayi, INEC national commissioner and member of information and voter education committee (IVEC), made this known on Tuesday in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital, during an interaction with media executives.

He also said the commission has made braille ballots available for voters with visual impairment, magnifying glasses for people with albinism and enlarged posters for voters with hearing impairments.

“We have taken additional steps to integrate into the voting procedure a process that prioritises voting for PWDs and vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women and nursing mothers,” he said.

“All post-2023 general election review engagements at the state level, in Abuja and Lagos were successful.

“Several suggestions on how we can improve elections were gathered and the implementation of some has already commenced.

“Part of the recommendations is what we are implementing today: having a comprehensive engagement with the media and increasing voter education and sensitisation of the electorate ahead of the election.

“We look forward to implementing some of these suggestions, which require administrative action, in the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi state.”

Gabriel Longpet, Kogi resident electoral commissioner (REC), said the media is a very important partner and stakeholder in the forthcoming election.

Adeiza Mommoh, Kogi state chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) commended the commission for organising the parley. He said this was the first of its kind since the state was created.

Mommoh asked the commission to provide accreditation and other materials, particularly reflective jackets for journalists, in order to differentiate them from other people observing or covering the election.

Editor’s note: The original story suggested that INEC had approved 2,238 polling units for PWDs. However, what the national commissioner Ajayi stated was the breakdown of polling units statistics of PWDs in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States, and not the number of polling units “approved for PWDs”.