The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State has slated July 25 and 26 as registration days for Persons with Disabilities (PLWDs) to register.
Eight special centres have been designated for this purpose across the five Ibile divisions of the state. They are Ikorodu Central local government area (Ikorodu); Ability and Disability Centre, Ajara (Badagry); Old Secretariat (Ikeja); Onikan Youth Centre (Lagos Island); Sports Recreation Centre (Epe); Idi-Araba Correctional Centre; Teslim Balogun Stadium and Correctional Centre, Oko-Baba.
The exercise will be done in collaboration with the Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs, (LASODA).
At a news conference yesterday, Head of INEC Voter Registry, Muyiwa Yusuf, said the commission has put in place special consideration for the registration of PWDs. He noted that ‘the two days will be well taken care of so that they are well captured’.
Yusuf said: “The two days are for people with disabilities to register so we can have them in our database and ensure they are not disenfranchised. There is a biometric machine to capture those who cannot thumbprint, while braille will be provided for those with visual impairment and magnifying glasses for those with albinism. The polling units will also be wheelchair accessible.”
While lamenting that of the six million persons registered in Lagos for the 2023 elections, over one million PVCs have not been collected. Yusuf urged concerned persons to go to their local government areas for collection.
He hinted that over 75,000 PWDs were captured in the entire country since the electoral body began the CVR exercise for the 2023 elections.
The General Manager of LASODA, Dare Dairo, lamented that PLWDs were affected by social poverty because of exclusion, but said this informed why Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration set aside the two days to allow them to register.
“In collaboration with INEC, we have created special centres across Lagos so that PWDs can register and revalidate their PVCs. We have designated INEC officials at these centres and carried out feasibility study. It is for the PWDs to take advantage of this window to get their PVCs for the 2023 elections.”