UYO — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday afternoon, October 15, 2026, reaffirmed its commitment to conducting transparent and credible polls ahead of the 2027 General Elections, while decrying the total non-inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) as political candidates in Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking during a media briefing in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, criticized political parties for excluding qualified disabled persons from elective nomination lists across the state.
“From our records, no political party fielded persons with disabilities for any elective position in Akwa Ibom, which is unfair,” Onuoha stated. “These are human beings who deserve to be elected into political offices to give them a sense of belonging. INEC remains committed to an inclusive electoral process where no eligible voter or group is marginalized.”
Onuoha revealed that the commission is actively capacity-building its personnel to provide dedicated assistance to PWDs during Permanent Voter Card (PVC) distribution and on election day. He added that INEC has implemented nine of the 14 scheduled pre-election activities, including ongoing testing of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and recruitment of ad-hoc staff via [https://pres.inecnigeria.org/](https://pres.inecnigeria.org/) through November 18.
Responding to the briefing, Akwa Ibom State Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) Chairman, Mr. Kufre Jackson, urged INEC to sustain practical accessibility measures at polling units, including ramp access, Braille ballot guides, and sign language interpreters.
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