The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been urged to make provision for People living With Disabilities, (PWD) to vote in the 2019 general elections.
Spokespersons of the political parties, who spoke with The Hope in separate interviews said there are physically challenged people in their parties who are active and would like to vote in the coming elections.
The State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Alex Kalejaye, said it is duty of INEC to decide on their participations on election day, explaining that APC has created platform for PWDs in the executive council of the APC.
“It is left for the INEC to decide. On our side we have done what is needful”, he said.
Also, the State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Korede Duyile, opined that this set of people should not be disenfranchised as a result of their physical challenge.
According to him, policy and provision should be put in place to encourage them to be more involved.
“l don’t see anybody as disabled because these people have their own area of strengths” he added.
Duyile noted that apart from the policy of having their representatives in each state executive of various political parties, there should be a policy of encouragement for their livelihoods and ability to turn their potentials to reality.
They are the type of people that should not be left alone as they need assistance, Duyile noted
SDP, he said, however, made it compulsory for physically challenged people to have their representatives at the state executive of the party, saying that was the way the party has encouraged them.
He said many blind people in the country need braille materials for voting.
