The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has called for stronger collaboration between the Commission, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure safe and inclusive participation of Persons with Disabilities in the 2027 General Elections.
Professor Amupitan made the call on Friday October 23, 2026 at a high-level technical engagement on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols in Abuja. He stressed that no eligible Nigerian should be prevented from exercising the right to vote because of disability, insecurity, discrimination or other avoidable barriers.
The INEC Chairman noted that the credibility of elections depends not only on the voting process but also on the ability of every eligible citizen to participate freely and safely. He urged security agencies to demonstrate professionalism, impartiality and sensitivity to the needs of persons with different disabilities while ensuring that electoral assistance preserves their dignity, privacy, independence and freedom of choice.
Professor Amupitan also called for the integration of disability inclusion into election security planning, personnel training, deployment and incident-response mechanisms ahead of Election Day. He emphasised the need for security assessments to identify inaccessible polling units, overcrowding, potential violence hotspots and communication barriers that could hinder the participation of voters with disabilities.
The INEC Chairman further advocated stronger coordination among the Commission, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to ensure effective information-sharing and prompt responses to emerging threats. He identified clear disability-inclusive security protocols, specialised training for security personnel, accessible incident-reporting channels and sustained engagement with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities as key priorities ahead of the 2027 elections.
Professor Amupitan maintained that electoral protection must extend beyond Election Day to cover voter registration, political campaigns, rallies, voting, collation and the post-election period. He urged participants at the engagement to translate their deliberations into practical measures, including clearly defined operational procedures, joint security assessments, designated contact points and effective monitoring mechanisms.
The INEC Chairman reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to collaborating with the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, TAF Africa, the European Union and other stakeholders to strengthen electoral security and inclusion. He described electoral inclusion as a democratic imperative rather than an act of charity, insisting that every eligible citizen must have a meaningful opportunity to vote without discrimination, insecurity or institutional barriers.
The engagement, themed “Securing the Vote for All: Advancing Inclusive, Safe and Rights-Based Electoral Participation Ahead of the 2027 General Elections,” brought together representatives of security agencies, development partners and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities to strengthen protections for vulnerable voters.
