- The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, CDC, has been receiving commendations for its initiative, The Campaign for Equal Voting Access for Persons with Disabilities organized for Anambra Governorship election
- The CDC, had, on Election Day in Anambra, deployed election observers in the 21 local governments of the state
- This effort was to ensure full participation of individuals with disabilities in the election process
- The Campaign for Equal Voting Access for PWDs has been commended for its innovation and hard work
- Various Disabilities across the federation, including, JONAPWD recognizes the initiative of the CDC
- More approvals come in as the gubernatorial election in the state recorded one of the most peaceful and fairest governorship elections in Nigeria
Reactions have continued to trail the deployment of election observers for the just concluded Anambra Gubernatorial election by the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD). It will be recalled that the Centre deployed election observers round the 21 Local Government of Anambra State after it got accredited as a Domestic Election Observer by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking on a visit at CCD/EVA4PWDs Election Command Centre in Awka on deployment of observers by the Centre through its project tagged “The Campaign for Equal Voting Access for Persons with Disabilities”, the Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Mr. Clement Nwankwo applauded CCD for its active participation as observers during the election.
According to him, the project is commendable due to the fact that it was an initiative crafted by a Nigerian and executed by Nigerians. He promised that the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room will continue to support CCD in promoting Equal Voting Access for persons with Disabilities in the country.
In his message to CCD, the former National President, Joint National Associations of Persons with Disabilities, Mr. Danlami Basharu, praised CCD for its campaign for Equal Voting Access for Persons with Disabilities. He congratulated CCD for observing the Anambra Governorship elections through deployment of PWD observers in all the 21 LGAs of Anambra State. He also commended INEC for giving PWDs equal opportunity to observe the election.
On his part, the Anambra State Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities,(JONAPWD), Lawrence Nwanolue, also commended CCD, for giving Persons with Disabilities in Anambra State a sense of belonging and mobilizing them to participate fully in the just concluded governorship election. He noted that PWDs’ constant interaction with CCD, have exposed them to understand their rights better.
Also speaking, the Anambra State Secretary of JONAPWD, Ugochukwu Okeke, thanked CCD, for assisting Persons with Disabilities to observe the Anambra State election and also attributed Persons with Disabilities active participation in the just-concluded election to the efforts of CCD, media and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In his reaction, while speaking to the Senatorial coordinators of the Campaign for Equal Voting Access for Persons with Disabilities in the just concluded Anambra election, the Executive Director of Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, David Anyaele, stated that the PWDs Campaign will continue, as the centre has mapped out plans to ensure PWDs in all the States of the Federation participate as election observers in subsequent elections in the country