Electoral Process and the Challenges of Persons with Disabilities in the 2023 Presidential Election in Nigeria’s Calabar Municipality

Abstract

The paper examined the level of inclusivity for persons with disabilities in Calabar Municipal Area of Cross River State in the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria. The study employed a survey research design and randomly recruited participants for the study. Two hundred and eighty (280) self-structured questionnaires were issued to the respondents; two hundred and sixty-four (264) responses were returned and validated for the study. The study employed descriptive analysis and inferential statistics, where data from the field survey were analysed using simple percentages presented in frequencies and tables. The instruments underwent face, content, and empirical validation. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, rate, and tables, were used to present the data. The hypothesis was tested using a chi-square statistical package for social sciences. Findings reveal that the electoral process in Calabar Municipal Local Government Area is not highly accessible and inclusive for persons with disabilities. The study recommended the full and effective implementation of the accessibility provisions in the Electoral Act 2022, with a focus on making polling units and other electoral infrastructure truly accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs).