INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the appeal on Friday during a high-level engagement on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols in Abuja.

The meeting brought together representatives of security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, organisations representing persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to discuss ways of making elections safer and more accessible.

Amupitan said credible elections must go beyond the organisation of voting to ensure that every eligible citizen can participate freely, safely and without discrimination.

He warned that voters with disabilities could face intimidation, harassment, communication difficulties and physical barriers that may restrict their participation in the electoral process.

The INEC chairman urged security agencies to recognise the different needs of voters and ensure that assistance provided at polling locations respects their dignity, privacy, independence and freedom of choice.

He cited Nigeria’s legal framework for inclusive elections, including the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018. He also referenced the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and INEC’s 2026 Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections.

According to Amupitan, these provisions provide a foundation for ensuring that persons with disabilities can access polling units and receive appropriate assistance and voting materials.

He stressed that disability inclusion must be incorporated into election security preparations well before election day. Security assessments, he said, should identify polling locations with difficult access, congested entry points, potential security flashpoints and communication barriers.

The chairman also called for specialised training to help police officers and other security personnel understand disability rights and communicate appropriately with voters who have different needs.

He said effective collaboration among INEC, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security would be essential to improving information-sharing, clarifying responsibilities and responding promptly to threats.

Amupitan outlined several priorities for the 2027 elections, including clear disability-inclusive security protocols, targeted training for security personnel, stronger inter-agency coordination, accessible channels for reporting incidents and sustained engagement with organisations of persons with disabilities.

He said such measures should translate into practical arrangements that protect voters throughout the electoral process, from registration and political campaigns to voting and the period after the election.

The engagement forms part of broader efforts to ensure that vulnerable groups are not excluded from democratic participation because of insecurity, discrimination or avoidable institutional barriers.

The challenge, however, will be turning the commitments made at stakeholder meetings into consistent action across polling units and communities nationwide.

INEC’s call places renewed attention on the responsibility of electoral authorities and security agencies to ensure that persons with disabilities can participate in the 2027 general elections on equal terms with other eligible voters.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia