Assessment of the level of preparedness of independent national electoral commission towards inclusion of voters with disabilities in 2019 election in Nigeria

Abstract

Election is one of the fora for selecting leaders into various positions of authority, which demands collective representation and participation in governance by every member of a community, state or nation. Hence, it is a right for all with reference to certain criteria as obtainable in communities across the globe. However, some people may have been denied this right because of race, position and differences in physical mental, emotional, sensory and psychological attributes considered to be at variance to the extant laws. Consequently, this study investigated the level of preparedness of the Independent Electoral Commission towards inclusion of voters with disabilities in 2019 general election in Nigeria. The study employed ex-post-facto research design. A sample of 1001 adhoc officers trained for the election was selected from different training zones. Disabilities Voting Inclusive Scale with reliability of 0.75 was used to collect data. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistic such as percentage and bar chart. The results revealed that physically challenged and albinos were fairly included while individuals with visual and hearing impairment were grossly at disadvantage. It was recommended that the Nigerian electoral body should involve the services of experts in the area of Special Needs while preparing for election. This will ensure that the needs and interest of people with disabilities are adequately taken into consideration during election.

Keywords: General election. Inclusion. Independent National Electoral Commission. Voters with disabilities.