The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has confirmed that discussions are underway with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to grant voting rights to prison inmates.
The Controller General of NCoS, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche Ofori, during his first official visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja, called for the inclusion of over 81,000 inmates in the electoral process, noting that more than 66% are awaiting trial and therefore legally innocent. He stressed that incarceration should not strip citizens of their fundamental rights, including the right to vote.
Yakubu welcomed the proposal, noting that countries like Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa already allow inmates to participate in elections. He cited court rulings from 2014 and 2018 affirming the voting rights of certain inmate groups, especially those awaiting trial, and said the next step is to work with the National Assembly to provide clear legal backing through electoral reforms.
Yakubu disclosed that INEC had previously set up a joint technical committee with NCoS to review the logistics and legal framework for inmate voting. This included mapping correctional facility locations, categorising inmates, and discussing voter registration, polling units, and access for political parties, observers, and the media.
