Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
|
An International agency, the British Department for International Development ( DFID) in conjunction with local Civil Society Organisation have admonished the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fashion ways for Peoples Living with Disabilities (PWDs) to easily participate in the electoral system in 2019.
The agencies, which also include: British High Commission, Australian High Commission in Nigeria and Foundation for Justice and Social Development (FOJSOD), stated that excluding the people living with disabilities from the electoral system is not in consonance with the global best practices.
Speaking at a one-day dialogue programme tagged: ‘Enhancing Electoral Participation of PWDs in 2019 General Elections’, the Political Adviser to the country’s Deputy British High Commissioner, Mr Wale Adebajo, said the British government will maintain neutrality during the 2019 elections.
He explained that the British government will neither support President Buhari nor the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or any other candidate in the election.
Adebajo said the National Disability bill that is awaiting presidential assent will help in resolving some of the issues bedeviling the group in the country.
Adebajo applauded the INEC for including PWDs in its strategic plan for 2017-2021 elections, saying the British government and United States Department for International Development(USAID) were favourably disposed to the action.
Similarly, the DFID Regional Programme Officer, Mrs Margaret Fagboyo, said the agency has always believed that PWDs should be beneficiary of the sustainable development in Nigeria, which unfettered access to participate in elections was part of the plan of the organisation.
“In 2019, INEC must ensure that ballot boxes are placed where they can access easily, the police shouldn’t harass them , they should be accorded respect. They should be seen as critical stakeholders in any election.
