INEC unveils plans to improve safety, participation of PWDs during elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has outlined plans to improve the safety, accessibility and participation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) during the 2027 general elections.

The plans include adopting disability-inclusive election security protocols, training security personnel on disability rights, improving coordination among election security agencies and establishing accessible channels for reporting incidents involving voters with disabilities.

INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, announced the priorities at an event on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols organised by The All-Rights Foundation (TAF Africa) on Friday.

Mr Amupitan said election credibility goes beyond counting votes; it means ensuring every eligible citizen can vote freely, safely, and without discrimination.

“An election cannot be considered inclusive if persons with disabilities or other vulnerable groups face intimidation, insecurity or other barriers to exercising their rights,” he said.

Five priorities

Mr Amupitan identified five priorities for the 2027 elections, including adopting clear, disability-inclusive election security protocols aligned with INEC’s 2026 regulations and guidelines.

He said the commission would also pursue targeted training for police officers on disability rights and accessible communication to enable security personnel to respond appropriately to the needs of voters with different disabilities.

Other priorities include effective coordination among INEC, the police, and other security agencies; accessible reporting mechanisms and prompt responses to incidents involving persons with disabilities; and sustained engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities.

Mr Amupitan said disability inclusion must be integrated into election security planning, personnel training, deployment and incident response through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

He also announced that INEC would soon convene another security summit involving the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other paramilitary agencies.

According to him, security personnel must understand the specific needs of voters with different disabilities. People with hearing impairments may require visual accommodation, while those with visual impairments may need verbal guidance. Voters with limited mobility also require accessible polling units.

He stressed that assistance must preserve voters with disabilities’ independence and privacy.

“We must not sabotage the voters’ independence or privacy. It must be respectful and proportionate assistance,” he said.

Low number of registered voters with disabilities

The INEC chairman said the commission had 232,000 registered voters with disabilities, representing 0.23 per cent of the voter register.

He said the registered voters fell into 10 disability categories, described the figure as too low, and said INEC was working to improve registration through online voter registration.

“When I took over, one of my primary conditions was to have online registration,” he said.

Mr Amupitan cited the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as legal frameworks supporting inclusive elections.

However, he said implementing these protections remained a challenge.

He directed INEC’s Director of Gender and Inclusivity to make copies of the commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026 available, noting that clauses 19, 21, 27 and 28 provide for priority access and assistance for persons with disabilities.

“The duty to protect voters extends well beyond election day. It includes voter registration, campaigns, rallies, polling stations and periods after the election,” he said.

“Our duty is to ensure that no citizen is prevented from exercising their right to vote through avoidable circumstances such as insecurity, discrimination or institutional neglect.”

Mr Amupitan also commended TAF Africa and the European Union for their efforts to advance electoral participation among persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons.