The Albino Foundation Africa has urged political parties to abstain from designating polling places for people with disabilities as dangerous areas during the gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections on Saturday.
At the foundation’s pre-election report on the 2023 gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections supported by the European Union on Friday, TAF Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Jake Epelle, said this.
According to Epelle, animosity in several states is rising as a result of the rising number of fights between political parties’ followers.
He said, “TAF Africa is concerned about the increasing clashes among political parties and their supporters resulting in heightened tension in some states. These conflicts increase the threats of violence on election day. TAF Africa is worried about the disturbing reports of some polling units that are prone to violence.
“We appeal to political parties to speak to their supporters and allow for a peaceful election, and avoid heating the polity and making the polling units danger zones for persons with disabilities, during the gubernatorial and state assembly elections.
The founder added that “the lateness by election officials is gradually becoming a permanent feature in Nigeria’s elections and is capable of disenfranchising persons with disabilities in the elections” in addition to advising the Independent National Electoral Commission to arrive at the polling places on time as opposed to the late arrival during the February 25 elections. Due to the uniqueness of their disabilities, some groups of people with disabilities are not anticipated to have a protracted wait time.