Anambra: 10,000 PWDs to vote in Saturday’s election – Chairman

Mr Ugochukwu Okeke, the Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disability, Anambra chapter says 10,000 members of the association have been mobilised to vote during Saturday’s election in the state.

Okeke told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Onitsha on Friday that members of the group started mobilising for the 2019 polls when voter registration started.

“We asked our members to register and we have confirmed that majority of them, if not all have registered and collected their Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

“We have equally conducted several voters’ education to enlighten them on how to participate in the election,” the chairman said.

Okeke expressed satisfaction with the arrangements put in place by the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) for PWDs to vote during the 2019 elections.

“Lucky enough, we have had a programme with INEC where they told us how prepared and ready they are to ensure that PWDS participated in the election.

“We have seen some of their preparations; they assured us that polling units will be accessible like they did in 2017 where almost 70 per cent of the polling units were accessible to PWDs.

“They have told us that there are innovations like ensuring a separate queue for PWDs; it is a welcome development and because of that opportunity not to queue with non-disabled persons, we see it is an edge.

“They told us that even if you are blind because ballot paper is not brailed, they made provision that we can come with someone we trust who would guide us to vote.

“For the deaf, INEC said it had improvised measures where the deaf can read by themselves the step by step procedure for voting.

“So, not having a sign language interpreter is no longer a barrier.

“For the people on wheelchair, we have been told that the polling booths will be brought down for someone on wheelchair to be able to vote.

“We therefore, don’t have any reason not to come out to vote.

“A lot of our members are willing to vote based on the assurances, we have received from INEC and from the police, who have been educated to handle emergencies and protection of PWDs,” Okeke said.

Okeke therefore, urged PWDs to come out en mass to vote and participate in Saturday’s election and that of March 2.

He said that Saturday’s election was an opportunity for them to make their contributions for a better Nigeria.