Media stakeholders have pledged to give stronger attention to the perspectives of People with Disabilities (PWDs) in electoral reforms, stressing the need for greater inclusion in Nigeria’s democratic process.
NAIJAONPOINT reports that the commitment was part of resolutions reached at a media stakeholders’ roundtable on the Citizens’ Memorandum for the Reform of the Electoral Legal Framework.
The meeting, which was convened in Abuja by Yiaga Africa and the International Press Centre (IPC) on Tuesday, was supported by the European Union’s Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Phase Two (EU-SDGN II) programme.
Participants acknowledged that persons with disabilities face persistent barriers in elections, ranging from limited accessibility at polling units to inadequate representation in political discourse. They agreed that journalists must highlight these gaps to ensure future reforms reflect the rights of all citizens.
“Amplifying the voices of PWDs is critical if electoral reforms are to achieve true inclusion,” the communiqué noted, adding that media coverage should focus on participation gaps and policy failures that sideline disabled voters.
Beyond PWDs, the roundtable produced wide-ranging commitments to strengthen electoral reporting. These include increased investigative work on vote-buying, production of explainers in local languages, advocacy for diaspora and early voting, and stronger coverage of National Assembly debates on electoral bills.
Stakeholders also resolved to dedicate at least 25% of political reporting between now and 2026 to features, analysis, and investigations on electoral reform. Editors were urged to enforce strict fact-checking of election-related claims, while newsrooms were tasked with producing human interest stories linking legislative actions to citizens’ daily lives.
The communiqué further called for advocacy to establish a multi-stakeholder process for appointing INEC leadership, an audit of the Independent Results Viewing (IREV) portal, and the mandatory transmission of results from polling units ahead of the 2027 elections.
Yiaga Africa and IPC stressed that sustained media engagement is vital to keep electoral reform on the national agenda. They also pledged to work with media associations to protect the welfare and safety of journalists covering elections.
By placing greater focus on inclusion—especially for PWDs—the media hopes to ensure that Nigeria’s electoral system better serves all segments of society.