The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced its commitment to granting prison inmates the right to vote in future elections. Chairman Mahmood Yakubu revealed this on Friday during a meeting with Sylvester Nwakuche, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Yakubu acknowledged a Court of Appeal ruling that affirms inmates’ constitutional right to register and participate in elections. He stressed that voting is a fundamental human right that cannot be denied to any citizen solely because they are serving time in a correctional facility.
“Many countries, including Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, allow inmates to vote. Nigeria should follow this democratic example,” Yakubu stated.
The INEC Chairman referenced judgments from the Federal High Court in 2014 and the Court of Appeal in 2018, which upheld voting rights for inmates awaiting trial. Citing Section 25 of Nigeria’s Constitution and Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, he noted that these rulings provide a strong legal foundation for inmate participation in elections.
Yakubu emphasized that electoral reforms should include explicit provisions for inmate voting, clarifying categories such as those on death row, life imprisonment, or convicted for treason.
INEC has engaged in multiple meetings with the Correctional Service to discuss logistics, including voter registration access, polling unit creation, and voter education within correctional facilities. The Commission is also considering political parties’ concerns about campaign access, observer rights, and media coverage during prison voting.
A joint technical committee has already been established to address these operational issues and ensure transparency.
Support from the Nigeria Correctional Service
Nwakuche, the Correctional Service boss, expressed support for the initiative, noting that over 81,000 inmates are in Nigerian facilities, with about 66% awaiting trial. He highlighted that allowing inmates to vote aligns with democratic principles and recent judicial decisions.
In 2019, the Court of Appeal in Benin reaffirmed this right following a case brought by five inmates on behalf of others nationwide. While the court did not approve the creation of permanent prison registration centres, it strengthened the legal argument for inmate voting.
