Some participants in the legal field, on Wednesday, urged the National Assembly to incorporate the voting rights of inmates into the proposed amendments to the Electoral Act.
This advocation followed a discussion in Abuja concerning the reform of correctional facilities, jointly organized by Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organisation (CAPIO), YIAGA Africa, and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
Jude Isiguzo, CAPIO’s Executive Director, said that there are no legal obstacles to granting inmates the right to vote, citing a court ruling dating back to 2014.
According to him, he said that even inmates awaiting trial are entitled to voting rights.
“There is also no legal or constitutional provision against the participation of these persons from voting during elections in Nigeria. We must take a leaf from some of the African countries where inmates in custodial centres vote in national elections.
“In South Africa, for example, election officers have visited correctional centres across their country to register over 100,000 inmates to vote in this year’s national election.
“In Zambia and Kenya, inmates vote in their national elections. These are just some of the African countries that uphold the rights of adult citizens to vote in their national elections,” he added.
Mr Isiguzo also called upon the INEC to take the initiative in revalidating the draft framework regarding inmate voting. He further requested INEC’s collaboration with the National Assembly to ensure the inclusion of inmates in the electoral process.
“We request the two chambers of the National Assembly to graciously capture inmates voting in Nigerian general elections in the reform of the electoral act being expected.
“We also request the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to write to INEC on their readiness to have inmates registered and also for polling units to be established in the correctional centres,” he said.
Adebayo Balogun, chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, believed inmates who were not convicted should be allowed to vote in general elections.
“I believe that inmates who are not convicted have the right to vote during the national election. We will support this and we will ensure this comes to be,” he stated.
INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu said the electoral body had been making efforts since 2015 to get inmates to vote.
Mr Yakubu said, “We will put heads together and ensure this happens in Nigeria. I can see clearly that by 2027, inmates will vote in Nigeria.”
