Foundation seeks Nigeria's Electoral system overhaul after Anambra poll exposes barriers for PWDs

Awka, Anambra – In the wake of Governor Chukwuma Soludo's landslide re-election in the November 8, 2025, Anambra State Governorship Election, The All Africa Foundation (TAF Africa) has issued a stark call for sweeping reforms to Nigeria's electoral framework, demanding full accessibility and participation for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

The advocacy group, which monitored the poll extensively, highlighted persistent "accessibility barriers and procedural lapses" that disenfranchised thousands of PWD voters, undermining the election's inclusivity despite pre-poll assurances from authorities.

TAF Africa's post-election report, authored by Senior Communications Officer Lynn Agwuncha and released under the European Union-supported EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN II) programme, paints a troubling picture of systemic failures.

"Elections cannot claim to be democratic if they leave behind the most vulnerable," Agwuncha stated in the report.

"Our findings reveal that while strides were made in observer deployment, the ground reality for PWDs remains one of exclusion—from inaccessible polling units to absent assistive devices.", Agwuncha added

The organization mobilized a formidable monitoring apparatus, deploying 150 trained observers, 25 sign language interpreters, and roving media monitors across all 21 local government areas (LGAs) of Anambra State.

This effort, part of the broader EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub involving partners like Yiaga Africa and The Kukah Centre, utilized TAF Africa's innovative Disability Hub App to capture real-time data on physical access, availability of assistive tools like braille ballots and tactile markers, and the overall voting experience for PWDs.

Key revelations from the report include widespread issues such as ramps blocked by crowds, insufficient priority lanes for wheelchair users, and a glaring shortage of sign language support at polling stations despite specialized training for interpreters conducted just weeks prior.

In one documented case in Awka South LGA, a visually impaired voter waited over two hours without assistance, ultimately leaving without casting a ballot.

Aggregated app data showed that 68% of observed polling units lacked basic accessibility features, affecting an estimated 15-20% of Anambra's 1.2 million registered PWD voters.

The election itself unfolded peacefully amid low voter turnout and isolated reports of vote-buying, with Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) securing a decisive victory: 422,664 votes against 99,445 for his nearest rival, Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Soludo swept all 21 LGAs, extending his mandate with a focus on infrastructure and economic reforms, but TAF Africa emphasized that true progress must include electoral equity.Pre-election optimism had been high.

TAF Africa's founder and CEO, Ambassador Jake Epelle, had similarly rallied for "a truly democratic process where every eligible citizen participates equally," echoing calls during voter registration drives and media capacity-building sessions.

Yet, the report critiques these commitments as falling short, urging INEC to enforce the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 more rigorously. Recommendations include mandatory accessibility audits for all polling sites, nationwide deployment of the Disability Hub App for future elections, and quotas for PWDs in electoral staffing.

Agwuncha further added: "Anambra's poll was a missed opportunity, but it's a blueprint for reform. Without action, Nigeria risks perpetuating exclusion in every vote."

The EU, through its SDGN programme, hailed TAF Africa's role in the observation hub that deployed 687 observers overall, underscoring the bloc's commitment to "credible, peaceful, and inclusive" polls.