The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has taken a bold step toward giving prison inmates the right to vote in future elections by giving them a voice at the ballot box. This push is gaining ground as the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Electoral Commission have opened formal talks on how inmates could vote in future elections.
INEC Chairman, Proffessor Mahmood Yakubu, said the Commission is working with the National Assembly to make a clear law that will cover Nigerians serving time in correctional facilities. This, he explained, will remove the confusion in the Electoral Act 2022 about whether certain inmates—such as those on death row, serving life sentences, or convicted for treason—can register and vote.
During his first official visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja, Controller General of the NCoS, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche Ofori, said the rights of over 81,000 incarcerated Nigerians must not be ignored — especially the more than 66 percent who are awaiting trial and legally presumed innocent.
“Anybody can find themselves on the other side of the law,” Ofori stressed. “Being in prison should not take away your citizenship or your right to vote.”
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, welcomed the discussion, noting that countries like Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa already allow inmates to vote. He confirmed that Nigerian court rulings have backed the voting rights of certain categories of prisoners, particularly those awaiting trial.
A joint committee between INEC and NCoS had previously examined how inmate voting could work — from voter registration and mapping prisons to ensuring political parties, observers, and the media have fair access without compromising security.
Yakubu said the next step is to work with the National Assembly for a clear legal framework. Both leaders acknowledged challenges such as security, campaign rules inside prisons, and deciding which categories of inmates would be eligible, but agreed these can be resolved with proper planning.
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Meanwhile, Advocates like the Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organization (CAPIO) see inmate voting as a step towards a more inclusive democracy.
“Inmates are part of our society,” Ofori said. “If we deny them the right to participate, we deny our democracy the chance to truly represent all Nigerians.
