INEC Registers 3,000 PWDs As Voters Ahead Of FCT Area Council Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that a total of 3,000 voters with disabilities have been registered in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in preparation for the forthcoming Area Council elections.

The disclosure was made by the Head of INEC’s ICT Department in the FCT, Mr. Festus Aisien, during an advocacy visit by the Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) to the Commission’s FCT office in Abuja.

Mr. Aisien, in a statement posted on INEC verified X account on Friday, said the registration figure reflected INEC’s ongoing efforts to promote inclusive participation in the electoral process, particularly for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

During the visit, the Chief Executive Officer of the Inclusive Friends Association, Mrs. Grace Jerry, commended INEC for over a decade of productive engagement and sustained collaboration in advancing disability-inclusive electoral practices.

She, however, called for intensified training for election personnel, security agencies and political party agents on disability-related issues ahead of the FCT Area Council elections, stressing that improved capacity-building would enhance sensitivity and responsiveness during the conduct of elections.

According to her, such training would strengthen the implementation of inclusion measures, including priority voting for PWDs and the deployment of assistive materials such as Braille Ballot Guides.

Mrs. Jerry also pledged the support of the Association in providing technical expertise, particularly in the training of ad-hoc staff on disability inclusion and other electoral processes aimed at improving access and participation for PWDs.

In his response, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in FCT, Malam Aminu Kasimu Idris, assured the delegation that issues concerning PWDs would continue to receive priority attention in the planning and conduct of elections in the FCT.