Author: user user

2027: APC youths reject Okorocha’s court victory, back Uzodinma

The Imo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Wing has thrown its weight behind Governor Hope Uzodimma amid the lingering controversy over the party’s senatorial ticket for Imo West (Orlu Zone), insisting that the governor remains the rightful candidate.

Addressing journalists in Owerri on Friday, the State APC Youth Leader, Comrade Franklin Kennedy Chukwuemeka Ibeh, dismissed Thursday’s Federal High Court judgment recognising former Governor Rochas Okorocha as the party’s candidate for the Imo West senatorial district in the January 16, 2027 poll.

Ibeh maintained that the party’s youth and grassroots structures in Imo State do not recognise Okorocha as the authentic candidate.

He argued that Okorocha was absent from the senatorial primary election and did not participate in the mobilisation and electoral process across Imo West (Orlu Zone).

According to him, the senatorial ticket should be determined by the outcome of the party’s primary election rather than what he described as an attempt to secure political legitimacy through court proceedings.

The APC youth leader also faulted the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, which declared Okorocha the party’s candidate for the senatorial election.

He expressed confidence that the decision would be overturned on appeal.

Ibeh said the state chapter of the party was already taking the necessary legal steps to challenge the ruling and ensure that Uzodimma’s name is restored as the party’s candidate before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The youth leader further insisted that Uzodimma emerged victorious through a transparent primary election, which, according to him, witnessed substantial participation by party members across the local government areas in the Imo West Senatorial District.

He called on party faithful and supporters in the zone to remain calm, united and committed to the party while the legal process runs its course.

Ibeh also cautioned Okorocha against making statements or taking actions capable of threatening the prevailing peace and political stability in the state.

He stressed that the APC youth leadership remained committed to protecting what it described as the mandate freely given to Uzodimma by party members in Imo West Senatorial District, also known as Orlu Zone.

The dispute over the Imo West senatorial ticket has generated political tension within the Imo APC, with both camps maintaining different positions on the legitimacy of the party’s candidate.

While the Federal High Court ruling has strengthened Okorocha’s legal position, the Imo State APC leadership and its youth wing have indicated their determination to challenge the decision through the appellate process.

The final determination of the dispute is expected to rest on the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings.

SEC DG urges private universities to embrace capital market financing

The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Emomotimi Agama, has called on private universities in Nigeria to explore capital market financing as a sustainable alternative to dependence on tuition fees for infrastructure development and long-term institutional growth.

Agama said the continued reliance on students’ fees to finance capital-intensive projects was unsustainable, warning that such a funding model could undermine the capacity of private universities to expand their facilities, improve academic standards and compete globally.

He made the call while delivering the 16th convocation lecture of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, titled ‘From Grants to Growth: Financing Nigeria’s Universities Through the Capital Market’.

The SEC boss described the situation as a ‘tuition trap’, arguing that universities could not achieve sustainable development if their major source of income remained annual student payments.

According to him, long-term investments in university infrastructure require equally long-term financing arrangements rather than dependence on short-term revenue from tuition fees.

‘A university financed only by tuition is not self-funding. It is hand-to-mouth. Everything required to fund this university properly already exists inside the Nigerian financial system. You raised capital when it was hard. Why are you living on fees now that it is easy?’ he queried.

Agama observed that although government resources were limited and competed for by several sectors, Nigeria’s capital market offered enormous opportunities that private universities could harness to address their funding challenges.

He said the country’s pension fund industry, with assets valued at over N31.5 trillion, represented a huge pool of long-term investment resources that could be channelled into university development through appropriate financial instruments.

He identified university bonds, Sukuk and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) as viable financing options, particularly for infrastructure projects, student accommodation and other income-generating assets.

The SEC director-general advised Achievers University to explore the commercial potential of its student accommodation facilities by developing them into structured investment assets capable of attracting institutional investors.

He explained that pension fund managers were interested in long-term investment opportunities, adding that universities could attract such funds through ring-fenced Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) designed to finance specific projects.

Agama, however, stressed that accessing the capital market would require universities to embrace transparency, maintain timely audited financial statements and establish a clear separation between institutional assets and those of their promoters.

He also described the introduction of the student loan scheme as a commendable government initiative, disclosing that there were considerations towards extending the facility to students in private universities.

Drawing from the history of Achievers University, Agama recalled that the institution was established through a private placement involving shareholders, noting that its foundation was itself an example of how the capital market could support university development.

He said the university could build on that foundation by returning to the capital market to mobilise funds for its next phase of growth.

Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor of Achievers University, Prof. Bode Ayorinde, said the institution aspired to become the best university in Africa but identified funding constraints as one of the major challenges confronting the realisation of that ambition.

Ayorinde expressed optimism that accessing the capital market would provide the institution with funds at a lower cost, ease its financial burden and ultimately reduce the pressure on students through lower tuition fees.

He added that increased student enrolment would also help reduce the cost per student, thereby improving the institution’s financial sustainability and affordability.

CDO authorities advise early cemetery visits to beat the heat

With tens of thousands expected to flock to usually congested cemeteries, local authorities here have laid down strict guidelines for this year’s ‘Undas’ or ‘Kalag-Kalag’ observance, banning overnight stays, liquor, and smoking while urging the public to dodge the peak daytime heat.

Visiting hours across all private and public cemeteries in the city will be strictly limited from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to maintain order.

City officials are implementing tighter crowd control measures to manage older public cemeteries that reflect decades of severe congestion and fragmented record-keeping. The Bulua Public Cemetery currently squeezes more than 10,000 graves into a three-hectare property, while the Carmen Public Cemetery holds roughly 5,000 interments within a compact two-hectare lot.

To prevent untoward incidents in these packed spaces, authorities have prohibited bladed weapons, firearms, playing cards, sound systems, and karaoke machines. Cleanliness will be strictly enforced, and smoking, vaping, and e-cigarettes are completely banned inside the premises.

With rising temperatures, the city is advising the public to monitor the state weather bureau’s advisory on the day’s heat index and avoid cemetery visits between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Special rules are in place for the city’s largest burial ground, the 19.8-hectare Bolonsiri Public Cemetery in Barangay Camaman-an. Recently redeveloped into the City Memorial Park, the site holds an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 remains, tens of thousands of which were recently exhumed and transferred to a centralized ossuary.

Visitors to the City Memorial Park are explicitly prohibited from bringing matches and lighters. Littering is also strictly banned, with violators facing immediate fines through an Ordinance Violation Receipt.

To help visitors cope with the heat across the sprawling grounds, the city has set up free water refilling stations inside the park and is urging residents to bring their own tumblers. Free rides using city hall vehicles will also be available from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 1 and 2.

NSIA offers startups $1.5m growth capital

The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has opened a pathway for Nigerian startups to access up to $1.5 million in growth capital as part of efforts to help innovative businesses expand their operations attract investment and create jobs.

The funding opportunity to be accessed through the Pula Xcelerator forms part of the expanded support package under the fourth edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation (NPI 4.0) which has awarded a combined $275000 in prizes to outstanding Nigerian startups.

At the centre of the competition Come Again Foods a Nigerian company that produces packaged snacks from locally sourced agricultural products emerged as the overall winner securing a combined prize worth $100000.

Protein Kapital which produces protein and biofertilisers by using insects to process organic waste came second with a prize package worth $70000 while Instant Rad Inc. an artificial intelligence-powered platform that connects hospitals and diagnostic centres with radiologists across Africa placed third with $50000.

The NSIA said the additional growth capital opportunity alongside business development training and access to investors is intended to help promising businesses move beyond winning competitions to building stronger companies capable of expanding across Nigeria and other markets.

Under the programme eligible winners will also participate in a fully funded entrepreneurial development programme at the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) Lagos.

The training will cover business planning leadership corporate governance financial management market expansion and preparation for attracting investors.

The fourth edition of the competition themed Building for Impact attracted about 6000 applications from which 12 startups were selected to present their businesses before a panel of experts drawn from Nigeria’s business investment and innovation sectors.

The competition concentrated on manufacturing climate and food security and healthcare reflecting the NSIA’s interest in supporting businesses that can address major challenges while contributing to economic growth.

The combined $275000 prize money comprised $220000 provided by the NSIA $45000 from Cascador and $10000 from Wema Bank.

Beyond the three leading companies Eight Medical and Uwana Energy received $15000 each in Cascador cash prizes.

Sambal Enterprises Come Again Foods and Ebees Green also received $5000 each under Cascador’s impact awards while Eight Medical Smartel AgriTech and Ryctor secured $4000 each from Wema Bank.

Speaking at the Demo Day the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NSIA Aminu Umar-Sadiq said the quality of the businesses presented showed that Nigeria had a growing pool of entrepreneurs capable of developing practical solutions to economic and social problems.

He said the authority was interested in helping innovators build businesses that could survive attract investment and expand beyond their initial markets.

‘Through the NSIA Prize for Innovation we are not only recognising promising ideas; we are creating pathways for entrepreneurs to access the capital capabilities networks and partnerships needed to build sustainable scalable businesses’ Umar-Sadiq said.

He said the expanded opportunities under the latest edition were designed to give participating businesses more than financial rewards by providing the resources and professional support required to grow.

‘The evolution of NPI 4.0 and the expanded opportunities created through our partners reinforce our commitment to supporting Nigerian innovators developing practical solutions to critical challenges’ he said.

Umar-Sadiq congratulated the winners and finalists expressing the expectation that their businesses would grow employ more Nigerians and deliver economic and social benefits.

The latest edition builds on the NSIA’s efforts to use innovation funding and business development support to encourage entrepreneurship across the country.

According to the authority the first three editions of the programme attracted more than 20000 applications from startups across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The participating businesses operated in different sectors including financial technology agriculture healthcare education transportation and logistics.

Through the programme the NSIA provides funding technical assistance mentorship business training and connections with strategic partners to help entrepreneurs improve their business models and prepare for investment.

The fourth edition introduced a more focused approach by concentrating on manufacturing climate and food security and healthcare sectors considered important to strengthening Nigeria’s productive capacity improving livelihoods and creating employment opportunities.

The authority said the programme was designed to take participating businesses through several stages rather than simply reward winners at a pitching event.

These include application and screening an accelerator programme a preliminary pitching exercise the final Demo Day and post-competition support.

During the accelerator stage selected businesses receive intensive training and guidance to improve their products business plans and ability to attract investors.

The shortlisted companies subsequently present their solutions at the Mini Demo Day before the final contestants pitch to an expert panel.

After the competition winners and eligible finalists can proceed to further training mentorship investor engagement and funding opportunities through the NSIA and its partners.

The authority said the approach was intended to help Nigerian entrepreneurs turn promising ideas into established businesses capable of operating profitably expanding their reach and contributing to the country’s long-term economic development.

Morocco welcomes end of MINURSO mandate in Sahara

Morocco has lauded the United Nations Security Council non-renewal of the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), describing it as a significant step towards ending the dispute.

A statement issued by the Moroccan Royal Cabinet described the decision as ‘ a major development and a significant step toward the definitive closure of the Moroccan Sahara issue at the United Nations’.

The statement followed the Security Council’s failure, on Friday, to adopt either of two competing draft resolutions seeking to renew the mandate of the MINURSO.

The Security Council voted on two separate draft resolutions on the renewal of MINURSO’s mandate.

A U.S.-drafted resolution, which would make significant changes to the mission’s mandate and future presence, won 11 votes in favor, but was vetoed by Russia.

The council subsequently rejected a Russian-sponsored alternative seeking a straightforward one-year extension of the existing mandate.

The Russian draft won three votes in favor, one vote against, with 11 abstentions, and the United States voted against it.

Reacting to the development, the Royal Cabinet Office said ‘a 35-year chapter has now come to a close’.

‘Rooted in an anachronistic and outdated context, this Mission has long served as a tool for internationalizing the regional dispute concerning the Kingdom of Morocco’s legitimate recovery of its Saharan provinces,’ the statement said.

The statement said the failure to renew the mandate should lead to the withdrawal of MINURSO personnel, vehicles, equipment and other mission symbols from Morocco’s southern provinces.

It further argued that the development should end the Security Council’s consideration of the issue, including periodic meetings and reports by the UN Secretary-General, adding that briefings by the secretary-general’s personal envoy would no longer be necessary.

‘The UN political process, which has unfortunately been marked by the procrastination of other parties and their stubbornness in creating deadlocks and perpetuating the status quo, is thus suspended,’ the statement said.

The Royal Cabinet noted that ‘this major development coincides with the celebration of Unity Day, proclaimed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, to symbolize a break with the previous approach to managing this issue, shifting from a mere management logic to an approach aimed at profoundly transforming the parameters’.

It added that,while expressing its satisfaction with this development, Morocco remains firmly committed to the ceasefire, with strict respect for its territorial integrity, national security, and the tranquility of its citizens.

It expressed optimism that the international momentum launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI will continue at the bilateral and regional levels.

‘It has already succeeded in garnering significant support, as more than two-thirds of UN members, including permanent members of the Security Council and influential powers, clearly support autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the sole framework for resolving this regional dispute,’ the statement added.

Negros Occidental gov calls for ‘compassionate’ pricing of sugar

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he hopes the buying price of sugar hits P3,000 per 50-kilogram bag (Lkg) to enable farmers to survive.

‘We cannot compel the traders to buy at the price we want [but] we are hoping they understand the situation and are more compassionate,’ he said.

This crop year, the country is estimated to produce 1.6 million metric tons of sugar, and he hopes the farmers can average P3,000 per LKg to make it sustainable, Lacson said.

At the current P2,600 per bag, even efficient farms will just break even, so you can imagine what will happen to small farmers, he added.

The good sign is that recent events show the sugar industry has united against the importation of sugar, he said.

‘I hope the unity among the sugar leaders will continue,’ Lacson added.

A confederation of sugar planters’ groups and labor unions in the sugar industry earlier called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to urgently address sugar millgate prices, warning that current market rates are below production costs and threaten the survival of local farmers.

Market data from the first weeks of October shows average raw sugar mill-gate prices in Negros Occidental hovering at around P2,600 per 50-kilogram bag (LKg), they said in a joint press statement.

The group is now pushing for a baseline mill-gate price of at least P2,900 per LKg to help planters cover surging expenses for fertilizer, fuel, hauling, and farm labor.

’FLORAL SPLENDOR 7′ | The perks of being a flower at FAM art show

Flowers have long attracted artists across centuries and genres. From the bold Sunflowers of Vincent Van Gogh, the sensual Iris painting of Georgia O’Keeffe, to the wooden sculptures of large vases filled with profuse, colorful flowers by Jeff Koons, flowers are celebrated for their complex, delicate forms and the symbols they represent.

Life. Courage. Healing. And whatever resonates with an artist when they gaze at blooms.

‘Flowers are happy subjects in the same way that we feel happy when we receive flowers. It’s as simple as that,’ said Naomi Banal, president of Floral Artists Manila (FAM), an all-women collective of floral painters.

Continuing their tradition of organizing group shows every year since 2019, the FAM artists recently opened ‘Floral Splendor 7’ at the SM Art Center in SM Negamall. Show at the SM Art Center

In partnership with Galerie Francesca, the exhibit brings together 16 artists, each offering a distinct interpretation of flowers through their unique artistic styles.

Different strokes, different

From exquisitely figurative renditions and stylized abstracts to a quietly defiant art installation, the exhibit embraces a bouquet of styles, techniques, and expressions.

Known for her transparent, layered abstract paintings, Banal’s ‘Blooming in Grace II,’ a 60″ x 60″ acrylic painting, presents a magnified perspective of white flowers. The layered glazing technique lends the pristine blooms a delicate and almost otherworldly quality.

For Butchie Peña, flowers are part of life’s joys. ‘I love looking at fresh blooms. It is a delight to the senses. And it’s one of those ephemeral pleasures,’ she said.

Pena’s 31-by-31-inch acrylic and oil pastel on canvas, ‘Moonlit Petals,’ was inspired by the double-white lilies at her Tita Estrella’s wake.

‘I was captivated by their intricate, lace-like petals and found them beautifully ethereal,’ she said.

Her floral works contrast with the tranquil mood and strong sense of place in her other paintings.

‘In a way, it is a visual break -a chance to practice and catch up with new impressions of florals. My usual paintings have mostly a kind of serenity amid the chaos of moods,’ she explained.

Meanwhile, Kat Ong’s floral calligraphy combines intentional and flowing strokes with an exuberant color story rather than realism. Her flowers, symbols of life, burst with peaches, lavenders, turquoise, and berry tones, accented by neon lemon yellow and baby pink. Echoing her recurring theme of femininity, the blooms balance delicateness with dynamic brushstrokes and vibrant hues.

‘Soliloquy,’ a striking installation by Chie Cruz, presents a disquieting contrast between dainty flowers strewn around a female figure lying on her side, eyes closed and wrists bound.

A dramatic theatrical device, the soliloquy in Cruz’s work gives voice to the woman’s inner feelings, often overlooked beneath the surface of a life that seems like a bed of flowers.

Beyond decorative

As ‘Floral Splendor 7’ has presented, floral works are not merely decor or sentimental pieces to beautify empty walls. They are also thoughtful narratives that reflect human feelings, propose ideas, and oftentimes, spur energy.

To those who consider floral paintings and still life as enhancements to interior design, considering ‘bigger-themed’ subjects like history and landscapes as more ‘serious art,’ Banal encouraged, ‘They need to see flowers. Not just our works, but other paintings as well.

‘As for painting flowers, make your own expression and whatever you feel is right. Paint not just from the eyes but also from the heart ‘

Meet Sposobny: My AI Assistant, family referee and social life saver

I recently read (though I didn’t watch) the video of a guy who got an AI bot to attend a job interview on his behalf. This was hilarious because the interview itself was conducted by the recruiting company’s AI bot. Time for employers to sit up and pay attention, they have been making job seekers suffer for too long. By the way, does anyone still roam around with brown envelopes, dropping physical CVs? It seems so outdated now.

If sending AI bots to represent yourself is the way of the future, I am not complaining because believe me, I need it. First off, if I can have a personalised AI bot, the first thing it will do for me is make those frustrating yet necessary phone calls that end up with you being on hold forever. Calls to the bank, the doctor’s office, etc. I will name my AI bot Sposobny (Google says it means ‘capable’ in Russian). Try to wrap your tongue around that, ha ha ha!

As the technology continues to improve and become more affordable, I will turn Sposobny into a life-like hologram that can carry out certain in-person functions on my behalf.

Let’s see how Sposobny will do with refereeing my children’s endless, senseless, headache-inducing squabbles, to begin with.

I can just see her weighing the facts of each case and delivering an unbiased judgment, in a terrifying Russian accent that will ensure her ruling is accepted.

Sposy, my pet name for her, will, in her holographic form, also attend those awful outdoor festivals my husband is always dragging me to. No more standing in crowded parks with people smoking things that smell like emissions from Satan’s chamber of doom. No more burning in the sun or losing all feeling in my fingers or toes, depending on the season. Liberation is here!

But wait, what if my children, who are ten times more tech-savvy than I could ever hope to be, start doing the same thing to me? Sending bots to listen to my endless lectures, for example? Errr, this AI thing could be tricky.

Cheers to tech that makes life easier!

A mother’s unending search for daughter Sophia: 11 years of questions, hope and heartbreak

This year October 28 ,fell on a Wednesday. ‘So what?’ you might think, dear reader. For us, a Dutch family in Amsterdam, this date marks the beginning of the ultimate nightmare: a missing child. On this date in 2015, also a Wednesday, our beloved Sophia disappeared in Murchison Falls National Park. Another year has gone by. Another year, filled with pain and despair. Another year without answers and the daily confrontation with her absence. No child is as present as a missing child.

I vividly remember how we took her to the airport, with her new backpack and new hiking shoes. Never could I have imagined that I would see one of those shoes lying along the Nile riverbank, surrounded by other odd items belonging to Sophia. But that is what happened. [Editor’s note: the writer prefers to talk about her daughter in present tense because of the weight this carries in her heart].

The firstborn and only daughter, Sophia is a bright and gifted child, blest with musical and artistic talent. After finishing secondary school, she decides to become a doctor. Passing all exams effortlessly with good grades, she acquires her Bachelor’s degree in Medicine in the early summer of 2015. She is 21 years old and decides to take a gap year before continuing with her masters in Medicine.

Sophia arrives in Uganda late August for an eight-week internship in Lubaga hospital in Kampala. She is quickly taken by the country and its people, as is clear from her elaborate weekly reports we receive. She enjoys her work in the hospital, especially the maternity ward, and gets on very well with her local colleagues. One of them, a midwife, told me how eager Sophia was to learn new things, how fast she picked things up, her desire to be useful, and willingness to help with everything. On her last day in hospital, Sophia writes: ‘I am really sorry my stay here is over. All the people in the hospital are so sweet. I will truly miss them and hope to be back one day. Who knows, as a doctor of Tropical Medicine?’

Her stay in Uganda is to be concluded with a two-week trip through the country, with two Dutch fellow students and a Ugandan driver/guide. They leave Kampala on October 23.

On the sixth day of her journey, October 28, Sophia disappears, around 6.30pm, very soon after arriving at the student centre in Paraa in the national park. It is a very low-budget accommodation, owned and run by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), mainly used for their employees. A place not really fit for tourists, no security to speak of. Companions and the tour guide were aware that Sophia was not well. The guide should never have taken her there.

The circumstances surrounding her disappearance are unclear. The initial investigation left a great deal to be desired and police quickly jumped to the conclusion, without evidence, that it must have been a fatal accident. End of story. Convenient too. However, for us it is not that simple, certainly not for a mother who, from the beginning, has a strong feeling that something is wrong, that there is more than meets the eye.

The insecurity about her fate, the fight between hope and despair, has dominated our lives ever since. As former Minister of Internal Affairs, Jeje Odongo, concluded when I met him a few years later: ‘It is clear to me that this case has not been taken seriously and has been kept at a local level far too long’.

When I first travelled to Uganda, I was looking forward to being acquainted with a new country, but most of all, to see my daughter in a white coat, working in a Kampala hospital. Two weeks after my arrival the trip turned into an unimaginable nightmare and I left Uganda a broken mother. Since then, I have travelled back 27 times. Those journeys have not been easy and have taken a toll on our lives in many ways; mentally, physically and financially. I have tracked down witnesses, written articles, done interviews, spoken with many people and kept lobbying for more investigations, hoping answers would be found for the many, many questions we have. A life surrounded by question marks is not a peaceful life.

A few new investigations were started since that dark day in October 2015. Some never took off, due to various reasons, such as insufficient funding. Another was derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic that took over the world in 2020, and remained unfinished. Several private investigators proved to be disappointing. Not to mention the number of people who claimed to know Sophia’s whereabouts, clearly only intent to monetise our tragedy. I also recall a year when meeting a new CID deputy director on each consecutive trip, four in total. Moreover, every time telling Sophia’s story anew. In the spring of 2022 another investigation was started. Despite sharing a trove of useful information, my request to be involved was met with silence. However, I was promised a report after three months. Those three months turned into 18 months and the report produced more questions than answers. I wrote a substantiated review, which received no response.

Another year passed and I had the opportunity to speak with the President. I expressed my sincere disappointment and frustration with the lack of real progress. H.E offered help and introduced me to a member of his staff. Unfortunately, this person left State House and I was again left with empty hands. All I know is that there is another report, somewhere.

Dealing with a missing child is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Psychologists worldwide speak of ‘ambiguous loss’, a loss that is unclear and uncertain. It is seen as the hardest and most complicated form of grief. It is ongoing; there is no closure or resolution.

We still go by ‘when nothing is sure, everything is possible’ and I am a staunch believer in miracles. They do happen. In the meantime, there is no other option than to keep fighting to find out what happened to our smart, kind-hearted and beautiful Sophia and work hard to make sure she is not forgotten. We miss her so very, very much.

2027: INEC organises one-day workshop for PWDs in Kebbi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday organised a one-day workshop for persons with disabilities ahead of the 2027 General Election in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital.

In his opening remarks, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Abubakar Dembo Sarki Pawa, told participants that INEC remained committed to ensuring that every Nigerian, irrespective of disability, had an equal opportunity to participate fully in the electoral process.

Sarki Pawa, who was represented by his Administrative Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim, said the meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen understanding of the Commission’s disability inclusion policy, improve accessibility and promote the effective use of assistive devices. He added that it would also provide an avenue to identify practical solutions to the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, particularly at the grassroots level.

‘As we prepare for the 2027 General Election, I urge our electoral officers and disability desk officers to demonstrate greater commitment to ensuring that no eligible voter is excluded or disadvantaged on account of disability.

‘I encourage all participants to engage actively and make meaningful contributions towards achieving a more accessible, inclusive and credible electoral process,’ he stated.

In her speech, the Director of the Gender and Inclusivity Department at INEC headquarters in Abuja, Mrs Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, said the programme was organised to strengthen collective understanding of disability inclusion, accessibility and interventions developed by the Commission to promote the electoral rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Represented by Mrs Bilkisu Abdusalam, Bello pointed out that the participation of PWDs as voters, candidates and election personnel was central to an inclusive, accessible and participatory democracy. She noted that the Commission therefore remained committed to identifying and addressing barriers across the electoral cycle.

Bello explained that it was important for stakeholders to understand the purpose, beneficiaries and proper application of interventions such as the Braille Ballot Guide for visually impaired voters, EC30, written instruction posters for deaf voters, magnifying glasses for persons with visual impairments and albinism, and voter education materials in Braille, as well as jingles, flyers and posters.

She emphasised that the provision of these materials would only be meaningful if they reached their intended beneficiaries and were properly utilised. She also called for voter education outreach to PWDs through the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), cluster heads, special schools, camps and settlements, with JONAPWD taking ownership in collaboration with the respective clusters.

‘As we prepare for the 2027 General Election, let us strengthen our collective responsibility to ensure that interventions reach those for whom they are intended. Let us also strengthen the partnership between INEC, JONAPWD, OPDs, cluster heads and other stakeholders,’ she said.