The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure persons with disabilities (PWDs) can participate safely and freely in the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the call on Friday, October 23,…...
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure persons with disabilities (PWDs) can participate safely and freely in the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the call on Friday, October 23, 2026, at a high-level technical engagement on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols at the Abuja Inter-Continental Hotel.
The engagement, themed “Securing the Vote for All: Advancing Inclusive, Safe and Rights-Based Electoral Participation Ahead of the 2027 General Elections,” brought together representatives of the police, other security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, organisations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders.
Amupitan said the credibility of elections depended not only on the voting process but also on the ability of every eligible citizen to participate freely, safely and without discrimination.
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He stressed that persons with disabilities must be protected from intimidation, harassment, insecurity and other barriers that could prevent them from exercising their right to vote.
The INEC chairman cited the 1999 Constitution, as amended; the Electoral Act 2026; the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018; and Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as legal foundations for inclusive electoral participation.
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He also referenced Clauses 19, 21, 27 and 28 of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026, which provide for priority access, appropriate assistance and assistive voting materials for voters with disabilities.
On election security, Amupitan highlighted the responsibility of the Nigeria Police Force to maintain law and order, protect lives and property, prevent electoral violence and provide a secure environment for elections.
He urged security personnel to demonstrate professionalism, impartiality and sensitivity when assisting persons with different disabilities, noting that such assistance must preserve voters’ dignity, independence, privacy and freedom of choice.
The chairman called for disability inclusion to be integrated into security planning, personnel training, deployment and incident-response mechanisms ahead of Election Day.
He said security assessments should identify inaccessible polling locations, congestion, potential flashpoints and communication barriers that could affect voters with disabilities.
Amupitan also emphasised the need for effective coordination among INEC, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), particularly in information-sharing, clarification of responsibilities and prompt responses to emerging threats.
As part of preparations for the 2027 elections, he called for clear disability-inclusive election security protocols, targeted police training on disability rights and accessible communication, stronger inter-agency coordination, accessible channels for reporting incidents and sustained engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities.