The Inclusive Friends Association (IFA) on Thursday said it will conduct a Polling Unit Accessibility Audit to achieve inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the Anambra election.

IFA Executive Director Grace Jerry in a statement in Abuja said that IFA had been at the forefront of ensuring that elections were inclusive in Nigeria for the benefits of persons with disabilities.

“Since the dawn of democracy in 1999, there has been controversy in Anambra in deciding who occupies the apex political office in the state.

“The controversy and tussle for power led to a court ruling which made Anambra to join the league of off-cycle elections in Nigeria.

“IFA has been at the forefront of ensuring that elections are inclusive in Nigeria through strategic and informed research-based advocacies to relevant stakeholders.

“The association through a random sample will deploy 200 trained PWDs to 200 Polling Units across 21 local government areas (LGAs) in Anambra. The observers will cut across various clusters of the disability community,” he said.

Jerry gave the breakdown of the sampled PWDs observers as follows: Aguata 12; Anambra East 9; Anambra West 6; Anaocha 11; Awka North 5; Awka South 14; Ayamelum 6; Dunukofia 6; and Ekwusigo 7.

Others are Idemili North 16; Idemili South 9; Ihiala 11; Njikoka 8; Nnewi North 11; Nnewi South 10; Ogbaru 14; Onitsha North 11; Onitsha South 11; Orumba North 9; Orumba South 7 and Oyi 7.

She said that the IFA team conducted training for the 200 PWDs observers at nine centres clustering the 21 LGAs according to their proximity and number in accordance with COVID-19 protocols.

She said that to ascertain that the 200 observers understood the content of training and to test the association’s systems and readiness they would participate in a simulation exercise before the election.

“To communicate the activities of IFA and impacts the association commissioned an educative jingle to sensitise the PWDs and the Anambra citizens to participate in the planned election.

“The radio jingle has information on the deployment of assistive materials by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“These materials are the Braille Ballot Guide (BBG), Form EC30E, Form EC40H and priority voting,’’ she said.

Jerry said that in furtherance to promoting communication to citizens the IFA would hold pre-event news conference with members of the press across Anambra.

She said the group would also hold a post-event news conference after the election to share the findings from its member’s observation.