Yemisi Izuora
The Centre For Citizens With Disabilities (CCD) has protested the designation of various polling booths in preparation for the coming general elections which has clearly excluded majority of its members from exercising their franchise.
They group said that more than 19 million Nigerians live with different forms of disability, and over 60 percent of that population is over 18 years and 80 percent of them living in the rural areas with minimal access to social infrastructures.
Speaking at a critical meeting with other concerned groups in Lagos at the weekend, executive director of the CCD, Mr. David Anyaele observed that going by preparation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) no deliberate attempt is made to create access to polling booths on equal basis with other citizens at the polling units.
Anyaele raised the concern that the reliance on charity based approach to addressing issues of concern to persons with disabilities participation in the 2015 general elections is worrisome.
“This approach had affected their participation in the voter registration and it is weakening their desire to go for PVC collection centre as most of the venues are inaccessible to the physically challenged.
What this means is that eligible Nigerians with physical disabilities may not go out to vote due to neglected issues of concern to eligible citizens with disabilities by INEC” he stated.
The CCD therefore called on the INEC to make adequate arrangement to ensure that eligible Nigerians with disabilities collect their PVCs to enable them participate in the elections.
The group also raised security issues with regard to physically challenged persons.
Anyaele called on security agents to disclose their election plan so as to enhance public confidence during the elections.
They also appealed to citizens to resist any step to cause violence before, during and after the elections.
“Violence causes disability, disability causes poverty, and poverty causes untimely death” Anyaele warned.