RismadarVoice Reporters
October 7, 2026
Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant a one-week extension of voter registration exclusively for people living with disabilities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The appeal was made in a statement by Emmanuel Aduku, National Coordinator of the PWDs chapter of the National Prayer Support Group for Good Governance.
The group said its request followed voter registration figures indicating that 232,658 PWDs were captured among more than 103 million registered voters nationwide.
Aduku described the number of registered PWDs as a concern and called for additional measures to improve their participation in the electoral process.
The group proposed that any special registration period should include priority access and mobility assistance at registration centres, targeted outreach to schools for the deaf and blind, and mobilisation through recognised PWD organisations and designated centres.
It also called for registration support that takes into account the accessibility challenges faced by some people living with disabilities.
While acknowledging that PWD organisations also have a responsibility to mobilise their members, the group said public institutions should ensure that disability does not become a barrier to participation in elections.
According to the group, its demand is based on equal political rights and opportunities rather than charity, arguing that PWDs should have adequate opportunities to register and exercise their right to vote.
The figures cited by the group showed Lagos with the highest number of registered voters at 7,488,633, followed by Kano with 6,570,276 and Kaduna with 4,662,640.
The North-West was listed as having the largest number of registered voters among the six geopolitical zones, with 25,083,411, while the South-East had the lowest at 11,976,218.
INEC has also scheduled the display of the voter register for public scrutiny from October 9 to 15, 2026.
The commission had not, in the information provided, announced whether it would grant the PWD group’s request for a one-week special extension.
