The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is working on a plan to let prison inmates vote during elections. INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, revealed this on Friday during a meeting with officials of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
If implemented, the move could give thousands of prisoners across the country a say in choosing political leaders.
Pushing for legal backing
Yakubu said the discussions mark the start of efforts to address inmates’ voting rights and stressed the need for clear legal provisions to make it happen.
“Working together, we can seize the opportunity of ongoing electoral reform for a clear legal provision that will specifically cover citizens serving time in our correctional facilities,” he said.
He added that INEC’s next step is to engage the National Assembly for clarity and legal support.
Other African countries already do it
The Controller General of the NCoS, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche Ofori, who attended the meeting, pushed for the policy change and highlighted its importance for democracy.
Yakubu noted that several African nations — including Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa — already allow inmates to vote, making Nigeria’s potential adoption a step toward aligning with international democratic practices.
