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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have been urged to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, with disability advocates saying over 30 million PWDs could become a decisive voting bloc capable of influencing election outcomes and public policy.
The call came during a voter registration mobilisation exercise organised by TAF Africa in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Disability Colony near the Central Mosque in Kaduna, yesterday.
The exercise enabled dozens of persons with disabilities to undertake fresh voter registration, transfer polling units, replace lost Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and update their voter records ahead of future elections.
TAF Africa, formerly known as The All-Rights Foundation Africa, is a disability inclusion organisation that promotes the rights, participation and empowerment of persons with disabilities across Nigeria and the African continent.
Assistant Programme Manager of TAF Africa, George Dominic Anwayi, said the initiative was aimed at increasing political participation among persons with disabilities and ensuring they are not left out of Nigeria’s democratic process.
According to him, many eligible PWDs remain unaware of voter registration procedures and opportunities available through the ongoing CVR exercise.
“We have over 30 million persons with disabilities in Nigeria and a significant percentage of them are of voting age.
“If they register and participate actively in elections, they can influence leadership choices and public policies that directly affect their lives.” Anwayi noted that the Kaduna exercise formed a part of a wider voter education and mobilisation campaign being implemented by TAF Africa across the country to strengthen disability inclusion in governance and electoral participation.
Although organisers targeted about 100 participants for the exercise, Anwayi said the broader objective was to send a message to millions of persons with disabilities nationwide on the importance of obtaining voter cards and participating in elections.
He acknowledged that accessibility challenges still hinder full participation of persons with disabilities in elections but said sustained advocacy has led to notable improvements in recent years.
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According to him, measures such as Braille ballot guides for visually impaired voters, magnifying glasses for persons with albinism and large-font voter education materials have helped improve electoral access for PWDs.
Anwayi added that TAF Africa has also pushed for the deployment of sign language interpreters at polling units, a measure successfully piloted during recent governorship elections in Anambra and Ekiti states.
“We are not yet where we should be, but there have been significant improvements.
“Our goal is to ensure that persons with disabilities participate fully and equally in the electoral process without barriers,” he said.
INEC Gender Officer and PWD Desk Officer in the State, Fatima Umar Abubakar, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to inclusive elections, saying the electoral body has maintained longstanding partnerships with disability groups to promote voter registration and participation.
“We have been sensitising persons with disabilities for many years. INEC has always worked to ensure their inclusion in voter registration and electoral processes.”
Abubakar described the turnout as encouraging, noting that many participants already possessed voter cards and only required transfers, updates or replacements.
She assured prospective voters that adequate security arrangements would be in place ahead of the 2027 general elections and urged citizens to register at polling units closest to their residences.
“INEC is working hand-in-hand with security agencies to provide security for all citizens. We are assuring everyone that elections will be safe.
“We also encourage people to choose polling units close to where they live to make voting easier,” she said.
