As the Anambra November 18 elections approaches, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says Albinos will not be left out of exercising their rights to vote as vision magnifiers will be provided.
The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made this known while hosting the delegation of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-COM), in Abuja.
Professor Yakubu, said the vision magnifiers would help the Albino electorate properly identify their party logos in the ballot paper and noted that the availability of the equipment would help to fast-track the voting process
“We are doing a lot about inclusiveness for women, youths and people living with disabilities in terms of access to the polling units and participation in the elections.
“One of the things we have done in this regard in forthcoming Anambra elections is provision of magnifying glasses in polling units to enable people living with albinism to see logo of parties and make their choices,” he said.
Yakubu also told the EU team that the Commission had implemented some of the recommendations by the EU-EOM, of the 2015 General Elections
He noted that eight out of the 30 recommendations have been approved, while the remaining 22 are with the relevant authorities awaiting approval.
The leader of the delegation, Santiago Fisas, said the team is in the Country to discuss how the electoral system can be improved, as EU cannot impose recommendations on the body.
He added that not all the recommendations are for the Electoral Commission, as some are for the National Assembly and Political Parties.
The team also met with the National Working Committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC), led by the Party’s Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and later with the Chairman, National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Senator Ahmad Markarfi.
Oyegun expressed gratitude to the EU team and disclosed the party’s readiness to look into the views of the EU-COM 2015 report while preparing for the forthcoming 2019 General Elections.
“We use this opportunity to renew our acquaintance. A lot of very interesting things are happening in your part of the world and of course in ours. It is a good opportunity to touch base again and exchange ideas and views.”
The Electoral Commission also did the same in the 2015 General elections after the founder of the Albino Foundation, John Epelle, made a case for Albinos right to vote.
Albinos have little or no pigments in the Iris and these pigments usually help absolve light in other persons. Consequently, Albinos are mostly likely to be very sensitive to bright light including day light and this may make vision a little more difficult for these unique persons.
