The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that about 137,487 Persons with Disabilities are recorded in the Commission’s database as having registered to participate in the 2027 general elections.
He said the figure comprises 13,080 visually impaired persons, 9,299 hearing-impaired persons, 30,561 persons with albinism, 19,430 persons with physical impairments, and 54,941 persons in other disability categories.
The INEC Chairman spoke at a National Strategy Engagement with Executive Members of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in Abuja.
Represented by National Commissioner Prof. Rhoda Gumus, the INEC Chairman said the figures “further demonstrate the need for sustained and targeted engagement to ensure that Persons with Disabilities are adequately informed, mobilised and supported to participate throughout the electoral process.”
The INEC Chairman said PWDs’ participation in the electoral process is anchored in Section 54 of the Electoral Act, 2026 (as amended), the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, and the INEC Framework on Access and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the Electoral Process.
He stressed that the Commission is committed to an inclusive electoral process and expressed appreciation for their “continued commitment to advancing the participation and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria’s democratic process.”
Prof Amupitan said the meeting reflected the Commission’s commitment to an electoral process that is “inclusive, accessible, participatory and responsive to the needs of all eligible citizens, including Persons with Disabilities.”
He maintained that, as INEC prepared for the 2027 General Election, it was important to “strengthen our collaboration with JONAPWD, OPDs and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that no eligible voter is left behind.”
He assured that the outcome of the national engagement would not remain at the national level alone but would be replicated at the state level through Resident Electoral Commissioners, Electoral Officers and other relevant officials, “to ensure that the issues and strategies discussed here are translated into practical interventions at the grassroots.” He called on JONAPWD and the various OPDs to take ownership of the sensitisation process within their respective clusters.
He described the partnership between INEC, JONAPWD and OPDs as one that “cannot be achieved by the Commission alone,” noting that it “requires the collective efforts of disability organisations, civil society organisations and, most importantly, Persons with Disabilities themselves.”
He urged participants to engage actively and contribute practical recommendations, adding that “the success of our collective efforts will depend on our ability to translate these discussions into concrete actions that can be implemented both at the national and state levels.”
Director, Gender and Inclusivity Department of the Commission, Mrs Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, said the Commission recognises PWDs as “an important constituency whose voices, choices and participation are essential to the credibility and inclusiveness of our democracy.”
She listed persisting challenges, including access to voter information, voter education, mobilisation, and accessibility of electoral facilities, and urged stakeholders to develop sensitisation strategies that are “broad in reach but also targeted, accessible and responsive.”
In his keynote address, Executive Director of Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Grace Jerry, called for a mobilisation model built around mapping PWD networks and priority gaps, reaching communities through OPD and accessible media channels, delivering practical voter education in multiple accessible formats, supporting registration and referrals, monitoring and documenting barriers for escalation to INEC and JONAPWD, and sustaining follow-up engagement through Election Day.
She urged JONAPWD, OPDs, INEC, political parties and partners to jointly identify and remove barriers to participation before the 2027 General Election, stressing that sensitisation efforts must reach OPD networks, wards, Local Government Areas, markets, campuses, faith and community spaces, and digital platforms.
National President of JONAPWD, Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu Usman, commended INEC for owning a policy on disability inclusion, shaped by Persons with Disabilities. He, however, called for more frequent strategic engagements, noting that “one national strategic engagement will not be enough for persons with disabilities in Nigeria to participate fully in the 2027 General Election.” NigeriaTravel Guides
Also speaking, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Bar. Ayuba Gufwan Burki, decried mobility barriers, assistive devices, and restricted movement during elections that continue to limit PWDs’ participation.
He said, “If we are fully engaged, if we can mobilise 35 million people to an election, then we will determine where the votes will swing.”
