INEC, Correctional Service vows granting voting right to Prison inmates

The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria, Professor Mahmood Yakubu have granted prison inmates voting right, during subsequent election.

The announcement was made during the inaugural official visit of Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche Ofori to the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja, in a bid to advocate for the enfranchisement of inmates across Nigeria.

During his first official visit to INEC, Ofori drew attention to the overlooked group of more than 81,000 imprisoned Nigerians, stressing that many of them are still awaiting trial and should be regarded as legally innocent.

“Anybody can find themselves on the other side of the law. We need to be careful how they are treated. They have rights, and one of those right is to to vote. The fact that they are in incarceration should not strip them of their citizenship”, Ofori said.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, expressed his gratitude for the proposal and pointed out various African countries, such as Ghana and South Africa, that permit inmates to vote. He acknowledged the court rulings from 2014 and 2018 that affirmed the electoral rights of certain groups of inmates, particularly those awaiting trial.

“Working together, we can seize the opportunity of ongoing electoral reform for a clear legal provision that will specifically cover citizens serving in our correctional facilities. Our immediate task is to engage with the National Assembly for clarity and legal backing”, Professor Mahmood remarked.

Yakubu highlighted that INEC had established a collaborative technical committee with NCoS to examine the logistics and legal framework concerning voting for inmates. This committee also focused on identifying the locations of correctional facilities, classifying inmates, and addressing aspects such as voter registration, polling locations, and access for political parties, observers, and the media.

Although no specific timeline was provided, the meeting indicated an unusual agreement between INEC and the correctional service that Nigeria might be ready to allow prisoners to vote, joining other nations that have already implemented this practice.