Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, CCD, has urged the National Assembly to expedite retransmission of the electoral bill for assent by the President.
David Anyaele, Executive Director, CCD, said this in his address during the opening ceremony of a 3-day event organized to commemorate the 3rd anniversary of passage of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018.
According to Anyaele, “the National Assembly had passed and transmitted the electoral bill to Mr. President late last year for assent. Regrettably, the President returned the bill as he asked that certain deletion clauses be removed, with a promise to sign the duly bill after correction by the NASS.
“It is expected that the NASS will resume today after the Christmas and New Year breaks. We wish to use this opportunity to appeal to NASS to speedily make corrections to the bill for onward retransmission to Mr. President for assent.”
Emphasizing on the importance of the bill to Persons with Disabilities, Anyaele said, “A Voter with visual impairment or other form of disability, and who is otherwise unable to distinguish symbols, or who suffers from any other physical disability may be accompanied into the polling unit by a person chosen by him or her. The said person shall, after informing the Presiding Officer on the specific disability, be permitted to accompany the voter into the voting compartment and assist the voter to make his or her mark in accordance with procedure prescribed by the Commission.
“The Commission shall take reasonable steps to ensure that Persons with Disabilities, special needs and vulnerable persons are assisted at the polling place by the provision of suitable means of communication, such as Braille, Large embossed print or electronic devices, sign language interpretation, or off-site voting where appropriate.
“The electoral bill made strong provisions which is widely believed would enhance access and participation of PWDs in the electoral process while maintaining election integrity in Nigeria. It is important to state that come 2023, more than 61% of 31 million voting population of PWDs are willing to take advantage of this improved electoral bill when it is eventually signed into law. This will lead to increase in PWDs participation in democratic governance.”
He urged Persons with Disabilities who 18 years and above to join politics, adding that a political party in Nigeria has more than 1400 positions across the 36 States of the federation, reserved for Persons with Disabilities.
“We must not allow these positions to waste.” Ayaele said.