TAF AFRICA, a group of people with disabilities, says it will deploy 150 observers and 25 sign language interpreters for the November 8 governorship election in Anambra.

Jake Epelle, the founder and chief executive officer of TAF AFRICA, stated this during a stakeholders’ engagement on the preparedness for a disability-inclusive governorship election in Anambra, Awka.

Mr Epelle said that the 25 sign language interpreters would be deployed in high-density areas with persons who have hearing impairments.

He said that PWDs have the right to priority voting, provided that this category of persons voted before others or as soon as they arrived at their polling units.

Mr Epelle urged INEC to ensure they walked the talk by implementing the inclusivity they preached, ensuring that PWDs are protected during the exercise.

Elizabeth Agwu, the INEC resident electoral commissioner in Anambra, assured that the commission is committed to disability-inclusive elections.

Ms Agwu said that efforts were in place to ensure that they participate as voters and electoral officials.

She said that the non-sensitive election materials were already available and deployed to the local government areas.

Ms Agwu said that BVAS machines fully configured for 5,720 polling units and 183 split units, with an extra 1,000 units for backup, are ready for the exercise.

She said that INEC would deploy disability tools, including Braille for the blind and magnifying glasses for people with albinism, as well as form EC30 for the deaf during the election.

“There will be no hitches; we have not had hitches in Anambra because we have alternative networks and backups that ensure that there are no hitches, and I am not under any pressure to deliver anybody.

“Voter apathy looks like the biggest threat to this election, so I call on the people of Anambra to come out and vote instead of playing football or drinking while the election is on. Not voting is encouraging the wrong person to win; under me, it is not business as usual,” she said.

Also speaking, Tochukwu Ikenga, police spokesman in Anambra, said that police were preparing seriously to ensure a peaceful election.

Mr Ikenga said police personnel were having regular training with a view to giving special attention to persons with disabilities.

“Restriction of movement during the election is a security strategy and not to punish anybody, but we advised that those who want to vote go to areas where they want to cast their votes,” he said.

Edwin Okadigbo of the public relations department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps said that the command had a PWD desk to demonstrate the priority the agency accorded to PWD.

Mr Okadigbo said the desk had been activated for the purposes of the election to ensure PWDs were not intimidated, discriminated against, or disenfranchised.

Participants at the event included the disability community, media personalities, and civil society.

(NAN)