• Begins configuration of card readers
• Commission plans special polling units for PWDs

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to organise a stakeholder’s forum in Akure next week.The plan, which was published in its bulletin, is to ensure that political parties, their candidates and supporters are committed to peaceful conduct of the polls.

According to the electoral body, it would commence the configuration of Smart Card Readers (SCR) to be used for the election today.The commission said it would deploy 16,723 personnel for the election, which has 1,660, 055 as the total registered voters

The electoral body also announced that it would begin a two-day training for collation and returning officers that would conduct the governorship polls.It explained that the exercise would hold in the 18 local council areas, 203 registration areas and 3,010 polling units.

Meanwhile, Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) may be given special polling units in the coming elections, if the plan by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC) in this regard succeeds.

The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, said this in Akure yesterday at the commission’s enlightenment campaign.According to him, special polling units would be provided for persons with disabilities to ensure that they are not disenfranchised at elections.

Agbaje spoke to representatives of the PWDs on the theme: “Leave No One Behind: Disabilities’ Votes Count.”He said there was an estimated population of 25million people living with disabilities in the country, whose votes must count at elections.

The REC added that apart from the special polling units that would be strategically located for easy accessibility to this category of persons, pregnant women would also be considered during the exercise to reduce their stress.

The Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers, Mrs. Bunmi Arajuwa, had canvassed that women must be encouraged in the electoral process.

She spoke at a campaign on Stop Violence Against Women In Electoral (VAWIE) in Irele Local Council area.Arajuwa urged women to be part of development and decision-making by participating fully in the electoral processes.

She added that women form the largest percentage of voters in the country and must come out in their large numbers to vote at the coming election.

Also, the chairperson of Women Development Initiative (WADI), Mrs. Florence Ajih appealed to women to be submissive to their husbands in their quest to fulfill their political aspirations.She condemned all forms of discriminations against women and PWDs, including incidents of rape during elections, adding that their votes were critical to successful polls.