The European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Election Observation Hub (EU-SDGN EOH) has disclosed that more than 70 per cent of persons with disabilities (PWDs) turned out to exercise their franchise at designated polling units monitored during the ongoing Osun State governorship election.
The observation was contained in the Hub’s preliminary election-day statement presented in Osogbo by representatives of the Kukah Centre (TKC), TAF Africa, the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Yiaga Africa, the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO).
The statement was presented by Samson Itodo of Yiaga Africa, Barrister Asabe Ndahi of the Kukah Centre, Akin Akingbulu of CEMESO, Lanre Arogundade of IPC, Brenda Anugwom of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund and Jake Epelle of TAF Africa.
The Hub, however, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen measures to ensure that persons with disabilities, alongside other vulnerable groups, enjoy full and unhindered access to the electoral process.
According to the Hub, its observers found the voting process to be largely inclusive, with noticeable participation by women and PWDs across the polling units monitored.
It said more than 70 per cent of PWD voters turned up at the 12 designated PWD polling units observed by its field teams, indicating a significant level of participation among voters with disabilities.
The observers also reported that women accounted for about 59 per cent of voter turnout in the polling units monitored, while women constituted 36 per cent of polling officials and played important roles as polling agents.
Despite the encouraging participation, the Hub stressed the need for INEC to continue improving accessibility and ensuring that voting arrangements adequately respond to the needs of elderly voters, pregnant women and persons with disabilities.
It specifically recommended that INEC monitor the availability and use of priority voting arrangements and assistive devices for PWDs and other vulnerable voters to ensure that the facilities are available and effectively used.
The Hub’s recommendations came against the backdrop of other challenges recorded during the election, including security incidents and electoral irregularities.
As of noon, the observers had recorded 38 security incidents, comprising 25 cases of thuggery, 12 attacks on electoral officials and nine cases of voter intimidation allegedly involving security personnel.
Across the 726 polling units observed, the Hub also recorded 323 cases of electoral offences and irregularities. These included 103 cases of vote trading, 12 cases of multiple voting, 28 incidents involving inducement of polling and security officials, 38 cases of campaigning at polling units, 14 cases of voter impersonation and seven cases of misconduct by election officials.
Other incidents included 31 cases of obstruction of voters and 85 cases involving exposure of ballot papers.
The Hub urged security agencies to maintain professionalism and neutrality while ensuring that their presence at polling units remained visible but restrained.
It also called on political parties and candidates to ensure that their agents focused on lawful observation rather than intimidation or vote trading.
For voters, including PWDs, the observers urged them to vote independently, reject inducements and promptly report incidents of vote buying or other electoral offences to INEC officials, security personnel or accredited observers.
The Hub further advised INEC to deploy necessary technical support and backup BVAS devices to polling units where biometric accreditation devices failed, while ensuring that election materials and personnel reached all polling units promptly.
It also called on the commission to ensure that results forms are displayed at polling units after voting and that relevant results are promptly uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
The observers said sustained attention to inclusion, accessibility, security and electoral integrity would be critical to ensuring that the participation of PWDs and other vulnerable groups translates into meaningful and unhindered political participation throughout the electoral process.
