REC Assures Anambra Election Won’t Be Rigged
Dr Elizabeth Agwu, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra assured that the institution was committed to disability inclusive elections.
Agwu said this at a Stakeholders’ engagement on Preparedness for a Disability Inclusive Governorship Election in Anambra, in Awka on Sunday.
She said effort was in to ensure that they participate as voters and electoral officials.
“Voter apathy looks like the biggest threat to this election, so I call on the people of Anambra to come out and vote instead of playing football or drinking while the election is on.
“Not voting is encouraging the wrong person to win, under me, it is not business as usual.
She said the non sensitive election materials for the election were already available and deployed to the local government areas while
BVAS machines fully configured for 5, 720 polling units and 183 split units with extra 1,000 units for backup
She said INEC would deploy disability assist tools including braille for the blind, magnifying glass for people with albinism as well as form EC30 for the deaf during the election.
“There will be no hitches, we have not had hitches in Anambra because we have alternative networks and backups that ensure that there are no hitches and I am not under any pressure to deliver anybody” she said.
Also speaking, Amb. Jake Epelle, the Founder, Chief Executive of TAF AFRICA, a group for People With Disabilities (PWDs) says it will deploy 150 observers for the Nov. 18 governorship election in Anambra.
Epelle said the group would also deploy 25 sign language interpreters to areas with high density of persons with hearing impairment.
He said resources which would be made available to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were expected to be deployed to areas with high density of PWDs.
He said PWDs had rights to priority voting which provided that this category of persons voted before others or as soon as they arrived at their polling unit.
Epelle urged INEC to ensure they walked the talk by making sure that the inclusivity they preached was implemented by ensuring that PWDs were protected during the exercise.
Also speaking, SP Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra said the Police was preparing seriously to ensure a peaceful election.
Ikenga said the Police was having regular training for personnel with a view to giving special attention to persons with disabilities.
“Restriction of movement during election is a security strategy and not to punish anybody but we advised those who want to vote to go towards the area they want to cast their votes,” he said.
Edwin Okadigbo, Public Relations Department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps said the command had a PWD desk to demonstrate the priority the agency accorded to PWD.
Okadigbo said the Desk had been activated for the purposes of the election to ensure PWDs were not intimidated, discriminated against or disenfranchised.
Participants at the event included the disability community
, media personalities and Civil Society.
