The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has announced that 53,460 inmates nationwide are presently awaiting trial. This statement was made by the Comptroller General of the NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, during a visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
During the discussion with INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, Nwakuche revealed that the total prison population across the country is approximately 81,000. He appealed to the electoral body to consider granting voting rights to inmates, stressing that they should not be excluded from essential democratic participation.
The NCoS head advocated for the inclusion of eligible inmates in the electoral process, pushing for the implementation of legal provisions that allow prisoners to register and vote during elections.
In response, INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu reaffirmed the commission’s dedication to upholding inmates’ right to vote, citing a 2019 Court of Appeal judgment delivered in Benin, Edo State. The judgment confirmed that prisoners are entitled to participate in elections, effectively acknowledging their constitutional right to vote.
Yakubu highlighted ongoing collaborations between INEC and the NCoS to create a framework that would enable inmate participation in elections. These efforts involve tackling logistical challenges, ensuring access to correctional facilities, addressing political party concerns, and identifying the categories of inmates eligible to vote under the law.
However, he emphasized the need for the National Assembly’s intervention to support the legal and procedural requirements necessary for fully implementing inmate voting. Despite these hurdles, Yakubu assured that INEC remains committed to facilitating inmates’ voting rights in accordance with the law.
The 2019 court ruling, stemming from an appeal filed by five inmates on behalf of others, mandated that the right to vote be upheld for prisoners. However, the court declined to mandate INEC to establish voter registration centres within correctional facilities, leaving the practical implementation of the ruling subject to further legislative and administrative processes.
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Nnamdi Okoli
