By Onomiguren Agbamu
Ahead of the forthcoming Local Government Election in the Delta state, The All Right Foundation, (TAF) a Non-Governmental Organization whose aim is to promote, recognize well-being and opportunities of all individuals with disabilities has on Wednesday held a voters’ education seminar for Persons Living With Disability for Elections Inclusiveness.
The voters’ education campaign seminar took place at Asaba, Delta state capital with the theme: ” For A Disability Inclusive Election- ABLE2VOTE”.
Speaking during his welcome address, the programme manager, TAF, Mr. Adeolu Kilanko commended the PWDs for their roles they played at 2023 general election.
Kilanko however encouraged them to play more critical roles in the forthcoming Local Government Election in Delta state, which is the closest to the citizens.
He added during an interview with journalists that the event was to sensitize PWDs in Delta state to ensure that they participate actively in the LGAs election slated for July 13th this year.
He said, TAF has observed that PWDs being active members of the society should be cautiously carried along in electoral processes.
According to him:” we realize PWDs being active members of the society, we want them to be cautiously carried along, hence, the reason to convey the event to sensitize them through our vote campaign for them to actively take advantage of relevant laws and provisions that guarantee their participation in the electoral process”.
He noted that during the 2023 general election, PWDs had little Inclusion in the election across the country and that the need to improve it from what it was.
He maintained that “before 2023, there was no data around the members of PWDs in voters registration data”.
He, however, called on the DSIEC to re-enforce and align with what TAF is doing to ensure that PWDs are carried along in local government elections, adding that talks are already ongoing at the national level for Inclusiveness of PWDs to have a quota at different levels in political system be it LGAs, state and national.
Earlier, in his good will message, the state secretary, Joint Association of Persons With Disability, Delta state chapter. Mr. Esume Innocent appealed to the organizer of the programme to take their messages to the government so that they can be given special privilege during election to vote, just as commended them for the voters’ education campaign at the time they needed it.
Others who spoke during an interview, Mr. Onyema Steven, of the Association of Abinoism, Delta state, said the seminar was an opportunity to understand where they belong especially those with one form of disability or the other but with the privilege of being included in the forthcoming Local Government Election.
Also speaking separately, the south south zonal coordinator, Association of the Blind, Mr. Nkemakonam Ofili appreciated the organizer for the swift education for actively participating in Local Government Election, that he believes DSIEC will be fair and recognizes them as well as giving them priority.
Various suggestions were made by the participants for PWDs to vie for political position across all board.
