INTRODUCTION
Background As a society, we acknowledge that the right to vote is one of the fundamental human rights that upholds citizenship participation, belonging to society and democratic processes in any country. The exercise of this right is essential for the stability, growth, and development of any nation.
The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) is an organization that is committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance in Nigeria. In line with this objective, the CTA recently organized an inclusive campaign aimed at educating voters and persons with disabilities (PWD) in the Karshi community of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
OBJECTIVES
- To enlighten citizens about the importance of participating in the electoral process, the voting procedures, and the rights and responsibilities of voters.
- To create awareness about the needs and provisions made by INEC for persons with disabilities during the upcoming elections.
CTA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S ADDRESS
The CTA Executive Director began by informing the audience that three elections, the Presidential, Senatorial, and House of Representatives, would be conducted on the 25th of February 2023 in the FCT. To participate in these elections, citizens must have a Permanent Voters Card (PVC), which can only be obtained by registering as a voter. She emphasized that all individuals who have reached the age of 18 are eligible to register as voters and urged them to exercise their civic rights by joining people who would give voice and power to the elected.
The CTA Executive Director praised INEC for improving the voting process by using innovative technologies such as the BVAS, which would be deployed in the upcoming elections. She also discussed special categories that would receive special attention on election day, including pregnant women, nursing mothers, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and the aged.
INEC has made special provisions for persons with disabilities, including the provision of a magnifying glass for persons with albinism, a braille guide for people with visual impairment, and assistance for people with hand and leg impairment.
Note 1:
- No one can assist more than 3 persons at the same time
- Nursing mothers transferring their babies to other women is an offence punishable by the law
QUICK TIPS ON HOW TO CAST YOUR VOTE
- Election starts at 8:30 am and ends at 2:30 pm (voters must join the queue before 2:30 pm)
- Check your name and number on the list of registered voters pasted
- Join the queue and present yourself to the INEC official at the polling unit for the accreditation of your PVC. Your face or fingerprint will be scanned to fetch your information from INEC’s database and captured if found.
Note 2: once the accreditation has been tried 3 times and failed, the voter cannot be allowed to vote.
- Remember to check out your name on the INEC list.
- You will be tendered 3 ballot papers to vote in the cubicle.
Note 3:
- No snapping device is allowed in the cubicle. If caught, is punishable by the law.
- Take care to cast your vote on the right ballot box to avoid your vote being invalid.
- Always make sure that your paper is stamped and signed to avoid your vote being invalid.
- Make sure you are given the accurate number of ballot papers.
- When voting, make sure to thump print in the right place.
- Overvoting can render the results from that polling unit invalid
- After casting your vote, you can hang around to observe the process
- After everyone in the queue has voted, the INEC official will manually collate the ballot papers, sought them and get the result for that polling unit.
- All the party agents present will sign after writing the results.
- The results will be transmitted electronically through the use of the BVAS to the INEC result portal which works in real time.
- PARTICIPANTS / PROFILE
Present at the meeting were registered voters and people with physical, visual, and hearing impairments.
