With a growing population of over 35 million in Nigeria, the voting strength of PWDs cannot be undermined in the 2023 general election, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons With Disabilities, Mr. James David Lalu has declared.
Speaking at a roundtable organized by the Policy and Legal Authority Centre (PLAC) on the implementation of the electoral Act in relations to the Persons With Disabilities he urged PWDs who have secured their voters’ cards to come out en masse to vote in the coming elections.
The programme entitled: “Tracking implementation of inclusivity in the 2023 general elections” was aimed at sensitizing Persons With Disabilities across the country for visible participation at the forthcoming polls.
In a goodwill message at the event Lalu urged urged the PWDs to take their destinies in their hands by exercising their franchise, insisting that PWDs do not have any locus standi to complain of being marginalized when they don’t participate in the polls to elect their choice of leaders” he underpinned.
“Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law in February 2022 the new Electoral Act to govern the conduct of elections in Nigeria. This law provided the missing links for inclusion of PWDs as well as the most vulnerable in the country to have a say during the electoral cycle” he pointed out.
Speaking further, the Commission’s boss harped on the fact that the voters card remains the license and a veritable tool to change the narrative for the betterment of the community of PWDs across the board.
He however, debunked the 85,000 meagre figure being circulated in media as representing the voting population of PWDs in Nigeria as he urged INEC to make adequate provisions for inclusivity and accessibility for onward participation of PWDs in the elections.
Addressing the participants earlier, the Executive Director, PLAC, Mr. Clement Nwankwo described the platform as a means of enlightenment for the monitoring of the entire process of elections in Nigeria.
“This is a Wake up call to all PWDs to see themselves as part of the governing process in the country without feeling less valued, he said.