TAF Africa says poor awareness and limited access to voter registration services are preventing many persons with disabilities (PWDs) from participating in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The organisation made the observation during a voter sensitisation and registration outreach conducted in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a disability community in Kaduna on Thursday.

The Assistant Programme Manager of TAF Africa, George Anwayi, said many persons with disabilities were unaware of their electoral rights despite legal provisions guaranteeing their participation.

According to him, the organisation decided to take the campaign directly to underserved communities where access to information remains limited.

“We discovered that many persons with disabilities do not know they have the right to participate fully in elections. Some have never been reached with voter education messages,” he said.

Mr Anwayi said many residents of the community had little formal education, making targeted sensitisation necessary.

He noted that the exercise was designed to demonstrate that persons with disabilities were recognised and accommodated within the electoral system.

He stated, “INEC came here with registration equipment because persons with disabilities matter and must not be excluded from democratic processes.”

The programme manager urged PWDs to obtain their permanent voter cards and use them to elect leaders who would address issues affecting the disability community.

He said Nigeria’s estimated 30 million persons with disabilities represented a significant population whose voices could influence public policy through the ballot.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Kaduna State chapter, Suleiman Abdulaziz, called for greater accessibility in voter registration.

He said mobility challenges and difficulties with biometric capture continued to discourage some persons with disabilities from registering.

Mr Abdulaziz added that many eligible PWDs in Kaduna remained outside the voter register despite their constitutional right to participate in elections.

The INEC Desk Officer for persons with disabilities in Kaduna State,  Fatima Abubakar, said the commission was committed to ensuring inclusive voter registration and participation.

She said the outreach enabled eligible persons with disabilities to register, update their records and transfer polling units to more accessible locations.

The stakeholders urged persons with disabilities nationwide to take advantage of ongoing voter registration opportunities and participate actively in future elections.

(NAN)