Yemisi Izuora
The Africa and European Unions election observation missions for Nigeria 2015 general elections have visited the State Accountability and Voice Initiative (SAVI) a state level program of the Department for International Development (DFID) to appraise its structure with local partners in the coming general elections.
The visit was prompted by commitment of SAVI to its partners which included the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Professional and Trade Organisations and Artisans in Lagos state.
The EU and AU election observation missions were deeply impressed by the level of support so far offered by SAVI to ensure physically challenged persons are properly engaged and educated as well as provided with essential tools to participate at the elections.
Receiving the AU delegate led by Karen Lynda Ogle (AU Long Term Observer), kayode Iyalla, SAVI state program officer (SPO) in Lagos, said the program has in the last few months taken concrete steps to mainstream disability issues in the general elections with the view to ensure physically challenged and other excluded groups are given equal opportunity during the elections.
Iyalla stated that with the constant interface between SAVI advocacy partners (APs) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) priority voting is significantly being considered by the commission.
He said SAVI has supported its partners to advocate for measures bothering on inclusive participation in the coming election and in view of such demands information, education and communication (IEC) materials including braille (writing system for blind and visually impaired persons) have been produced and distributed.
In his remark while receiving the delegates of the EU team led by Mrs. Mafalda Gomes, State Team Leader (STL) Lagos state, Mr. Felix Obanubi through its APs so many people with disability have been trained on how to participate at the elections and how to vote.
Obanubi said efforts were made to bring on board sign language interpreters to interpret the education materials for those with impaired hearing to understand what to do while voting.
He also said SAVI partners have been empowered on how to monitor elections using check list prepared by people with disability, explaining that the list is a tool that observers should use to determine how the election process encouraged inclusion.