TAF Africa, a Non-Governmental Organisation, in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday, mobilised Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Abuja for the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
The mobilisation is aimed at promoting inclusivity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The goal is to eliminate civic barriers for vulnerable and underserved grassroots communities.
TAF Africa is a leading disability inclusion organisation working to promote the rights and participation of PWDs across Africa.
Speaking on day two of the exercise at the IDP Camp in Wasa, the Assistant Programme Manager at TAF Africa, Mr George Dominic, explained that the intervention targeted the most underserved populations to ensure they were not left behind.
He noted that the exercise was designed to assist IDPs displaced by insecurity in north-eastern states, such as Borno, to be fully involved in the 2027 electoral process.
“At TAF Africa, our intervention under the EU-SDGN project is to ensure the participation of PWDs and IDPs in the electoral process.
“This group of persons belong to the underserved communities that are hardly reached when it comes to some of these civic interventions,” Dominic said.
He stated that the intervention targeted first-time voters, those seeking to replace lost or defaced Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and individuals requiring polling unit transfers to their current location.
The Assistant Director, Gender and Inclusivity Department at INEC, Dr Perpetual Nwanna, stated that the commission remains passionately committed to electoral inclusivity.
Nwanna, who also heads the PWD Unit at INEC, described the collaboration as a strategic effort to help less privileged eligible voters easily register.
“That is why you see us here in partnership with TAF Africa, coming directly to the grassroots to register the less privileged individuals who might not otherwise have the opportunity or the financial means to travel to distant area councils to register,” Nwanna said.
She highlighted several specialised interventions designed by INEC to ensure seamless voting for vulnerable groups, including braille ballot guides for the visually impaired, magnifying glasses for persons with albinism, and prioritised assistance for those with physical disabilities.
Nwanna added that INEC would go round the 36 states of the federation to sensitise citizens at the grassroots level.
Also speaking, TAF Africa Facility and Logistics Officer, Mr Affam Kasim, said the organisation had carried out similar mobilisations in Kaduna, Benue, and Osun states, with plans to visit Ekiti before its upcoming election.
He advised residents to take full advantage of the intervention, adding, “your vote is your power.”
The Chairman of the Wasa IDP Camp, Mr Geofrey Bitrus, appealed to INEC to establish a permanent polling unit inside the camp.
He noted that the closest existing polling units in the host community were too far away, which disenfranchised women, the elderly, and PWDs.
Bitrus disclosed that Wasa was the largest IDP camp in the FCT, housing no fewer than 7,776 displaced persons with an estimated eligible voting population of more than 4,000.
He explained that residents had lacked the means to register since 2014, adding that PVCs also serve them as a critical identity document for security clearance when travelling.
