By Gift Chapi-Odekina
Persons with disabilities have frowned over its members been excluded from political offices due to exorbitant fees charged by political parties.
The PWDs made this known during a Twitter space for PWDs candidates that participated in the 2023 general elections.
The Twitter space which was organised by Inclusive Friends Association(IFA), and titled: 2023 elections and PWD candidate experience sharing: exploring myth, challenges and solutions— had candidates that spoke on their experiences and challenges.
Speaking on his experience, Yakubu Abdulhakeem, YPP candidate for Okene II House of Assembly, said the political terrain in Nigeria is highly monetized.
“In Nigeria, candidates are judged based on physical status and economic strength. With the cost of form, it is like they are excluding us from the system,” Abdulkareem said.
Speaking on actions institutions need to take to ensure inclusion, Jide Ojo, a development expert, stated that INEC can start with the implementation of the Act by ensuring that 5% of ad hoc staff deployed for election duties are PWDs.
“When you are conducting training for ad hoc staff, give us the opportunity to also participate in coming to assist with the training, particularly as it regards how to mainstream persons with disability in the electoral process. There is the provision of 5% in terms of employment—we don’t know if INEC followed through by ensuring that 5% of the over 1.5 million ad hoc staff that were recruited ahead of the 2023 general elections were persons with disabilities.
“The Disability Act says 5% of all employees should be reserved for persons with disabilities. Persons with albinism, those on crutches can still serve as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers,” he said.
Stephen Idoko, a Programme Manager at IFA, said although INEC promised to deploy PWDs as ad hoc staff, however, observation shows that the commission was short of the 5% mandatory requirement.
