The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has reaffirmed its commitment to allowing eligible inmates to vote in Nigerian elections, in line with court rulings that uphold their rights.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, stated this today during a meeting with the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, noting that voting is a fundamental human right and referencing the 2019 Court of Appeal judgment that upheld inmates’ rights particularly for those awaiting trial to register and vote.
However, he stressed the need for a clear legal framework to guide implementation, pointing to Section 12(1)(e) of the Electoral Act 2022, which limits voting to citizens not under legal incapacity. He urged the National Assembly to clarify whether this includes inmates on death row, serving life sentences, or convicted of treason.
In his remarks, Nwakuche called for electoral inclusion of inmates, revealing that over 81,000 are currently in custody nationwide, with 66% awaiting trial. He cited a recent court ruling affirming inmates’ voting rights, while noting that the court stopped short of directing INEC to set up registration centres in prisons.
