INEC to give priority to elderly, pregnant women, PWDs in polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would give priority to pregnant women, senior citizens and People living with Disabilities (PWD).

The Commission said this on Wednesday at the Media and CSO Roundtable on the 2023 Elections with the Theme: ‘Avoiding Landmines, Overcoming Obstacles and Conducting Credible Elections.’

Aluko said that the Commission has taken cognisance of older persons and their peculiarity and this would be satisfactorily attended to at the poll.

He said “The pictures of elderly people you will agree with me that as you grow old, as you age, sometimes your features may start changing.

“And the facial features of the 40-year-old man may be different from that of a 90-year-old man.”

He pointed out that records available to the commission proved that there are voters 99 years old.

“We have 90-year-old voters in this country. So our officials have been trained to carefully handle this category of voters. Of course, we have what we call priority voters.

“That is on an election day if you’re heavily pregnant, not one month pregnant or nursing mothers with. Babies or if you are an elderly persons our presiding officers have been trained to ask you to please come to the front of the queue.

Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Victor Aluko said this while fielding questions from participants at the roundtable meeting aimed at conducting a seamless election.

According to Aluko, polling officers have been told to pay attention to polling units and ensure that pregnant women, the elderly and PWDs are treated with respect and courtesy while carrying out their civil duties to the benefit of Nigeria.

“You will not have to stay long, you will be treated with courtesy and respect. So it’s not only women voters, we will also give priority to voters that are living with disabilities.

He tasked political leaders to ensure that they carry out enough voter enlightenment campaigns to make sure that voters know their polling units, especially those who would have been taken some 10 meters away from their traditional polling units as a result of the increase to promote seamlessness in the voting exercise.

Aluko assured that the Commission has secured the assurances of the NNPC and the Central Bank of Nigeria that cash and fuel would not be a hindrance to the poll as they would ensure availability to prosecute logistical issues of the election.

Present at the round table were the Executive secretary of the International Press Centre, Lanre Orogundade, Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo.

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