The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it would allow prison inmates to vote during elections.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Friday while receiving the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja.
Yakubu affirmed the judgement of the Appeal Court, granting inmates the right to register and vote in any elections.
“We are aware that the right to vote is a human right which cannot be taken away from a citizen on account of time being served in a correctional facility. In many parts of the world, including some African countries such as Ghana, Kenya and South Africa where our officials observed elections, inmates exercised the right to vote,” Yakubu said
“As you are aware, election is a process governed by law. Working together, we can seize the opportunity of the ongoing electoral reform for a clear legal provision that will specifically cover citizens serving time in our correctional facilities.”
He referenced a series of meetings the Commission had with the service, to work out modalities for accommodating affected inmates, which include access to facilities, and political parties’ concerns, as well as clarifications for the category of inmates the judgement favour.
The INEC chairman re-echoed the need to seek the intervention of the National Assembly on the matter.
