Ondo Guber: PWDs Tackle INEC Over Challenges In Accessing Pooling Units

By Matthew Ogune, Abuja
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) under the auspices of The Campaign for Equal Voting Access have berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over challenges encountered by its member at pooling units during the governorship election in Ondo State.

It’s Chairman, David Anyaele who noted this in it’s preliminary statement Issued in Abuja said: “EVAPWDs observers report shows that a large number of the polling units were not accessible to physically challenged persons”

“At Polling Unit 14, Wad 10, Akure South LGA, a physically challenged voter was carried, before she could access the voting cubicle. The same inaccessible (polling Units were observed at PU 003, Ward 011 LA II Primary School *Lisaliwa*, PU 025 Ward 07; PU 022 Ward 007; PU 023 Ward 007 & PU 027 Ward 007 Ondo West LGA. These PUs were totally not accessible for PWDs having multiple barriers, from stones, gutters & sand.”

According to Anyaele EVA4PWDs observers observed that Braille jackets were not deployed in all the Polling Units, admitting that Braille Jackets were seen in Polling Units (PU005, Ward 003, PU, 036 Ward 002, PU 014, Ward 010, PU, 002, 002 Akure South LGA) and regretted that other Polling Units had no Braille Jacket (PU 001, Ward 6 Gboni, PU, 31, Ward 002, PU 29, Ward 002, Isikan, Akure South LGA).

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He noted that the body was concerned about the use of charity based approach on persons with disability participation in the electoral process.

He regretted that INEC was still struggling to implement its framework on Access and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the Electoral Process and the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018.

The director urged INEC to take appropriate measures to review its processes and approach on persons with disabilities participation in the electoral process.

Adding: “If persons with disabilities cannot vote during elections, it would be difficult for them to demand to be voted for, as the inaccessible electoral process is equal to exclusion.”