The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) have opened discussions on extending voting rights to prison inmates across the country.

During an official visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja Today, the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche Ofori, advocated for the inclusion of over 81,000 Nigerians currently in correctional facilities in the electoral process.

He emphasized that more than 66 percent of the prison population comprises individuals awaiting trial, who are presumed innocent under the law.

“Anybody can find themselves on the other side of the law. We need to be careful how they are treated.

“They have rights, and one of those rights is the right to vote. The fact that they are in incarceration should not strip them of their citizenship.” Ofori said.

The initiative, which seeks to provide a constitutional pathway for inmate enfranchisement, gained traction as INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, expressed strong support for the proposal.

He noted that countries such as Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa already allow inmates to participate in elections, and that Nigerian courts have upheld similar rights in past rulings.

“There have been court judgments in 2014 and 2018 that upheld the rights of certain categories of inmates, particularly those awaiting trial, to vote.

“Working together, we can seize the opportunity of ongoing electoral reforms for a clear legal provision that will specifically cover citizens serving time in our correctional facilities.” Yakubu stated.

The INEC chairman emphasized that the commission’s next step would be to engage with the National Assembly to seek legal clarity and the necessary legislative framework to support inmate voting.