Ahead of the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has taken a bold step—INEC seeks voting rights for correctional facilities’ inmates. INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu emphasized that every eligible Nigerian citizen, including those in custody who are not yet convicted, should not be denied the fundamental right to vote.

Yakubu reaffirmed that voting is a universal human right established under Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Section 25 of Nigeria’s Constitution. He highlighted past court decisions—such as the Federal High Court (2014) and Court of Appeal (2018) in Benin—which upheld that inmates awaiting trial can validly register and vote, as long as it’s by personal choice.

INEC-NCoS Collaboration

To explore implementation, INEC has teamed up with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). They set up a joint technical committee to review logistics such as access to facilities, voter registration, polling unit setup, and media/observer involvement.

Legal Challenge: Electoral Act Contradiction

One major hurdle is Section 12(1)(e) of the Electoral Act 2022, which restricts the vote to citizens not under any “legal incapacity.” INEC plans to engage the National Assembly to amend the law, clarifying the status of inmates—especially those on death row or under life sentences.