The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure that persons with disabilities can participate safely and freely in the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan (SAN), made the call on Friday, October 23, 2026, at a high-level technical engagement on disability-inclusive election security and protection protocols in Abuja.
The meeting, held at the Abuja Inter-Continental Hotel, was themed “Securing the Vote for All: Advancing Inclusive, Safe and Rights-Based Electoral Participation Ahead of the 2027 General Elections.”
It brought together representatives of the police, other security agencies, the European Union, TAF Africa, organisations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to discuss measures to protect vulnerable voters throughout the electoral process.
Amupitan said credible elections depended not only on the voting process but also on ensuring that every eligible citizen could participate freely, safely and without discrimination.
He stressed that persons with disabilities must be protected from intimidation, harassment, insecurity and other barriers that could prevent them from exercising their voting rights.
The INEC chairman highlighted the legal foundations for inclusive electoral participation, including the 1999 Constitution, as amended; the Electoral Act 2026; the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018; and Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
He also cited INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026, particularly Clauses 19, 21, 27 and 28, which provide for priority access, appropriate assistance and assistive voting materials for voters with disabilities.
On election security, Amupitan said the Nigeria Police Force had a critical responsibility to maintain law and order, protect lives and property, prevent electoral violence and provide a secure environment for elections.
He urged security personnel to demonstrate professionalism, impartiality and sensitivity when assisting voters with different disabilities.
Such assistance, he said, must respect the dignity, independence, privacy and freedom of choice of voters.
Amupitan also called for disability inclusion to be integrated into security planning, personnel training, deployment and incident-response procedures well before Election Day.
He urged relevant agencies to assess polling locations for accessibility challenges, congestion, potential security flashpoints and communication barriers that could affect voters with disabilities.
The INEC chairman further emphasised the need for effective coordination among the commission, the police and other security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
He said improved information-sharing, clear responsibilities and prompt responses to emerging threats would be essential to protecting voters.
Among the priorities he outlined ahead of the 2027 elections were the adoption of clear disability-inclusive security protocols, targeted police training on disability rights and accessible communication, stronger inter-agency cooperation, accessible channels for reporting incidents and sustained engagement with organisations representing persons with disabilities.
Amupitan said the objective was to ensure that no eligible voter was prevented from exercising their franchise because of disability, insecurity or discriminatory barriers.
