Stakeholders have continued to express concern over the plan by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on the possibility of allowing prison inmates to vote in the 2027 general elections. Although some legal experts have continued to be aloof, as the move is in tandem with constitutional provisions guaranteeing the rights of all citizens to vote, including those in custody, political analysts have expressed concerns, describing it as an act of desperation for potential manipulation of prisoners’ ballots.
Last week, Prof. Yakubu disclosed to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, during his visit to the INEC’s headquarters in Abuja, his agency’s plan to uphold the Appeal Court judgement granting inmates the right to register and vote in elections and noted that discussions between INEC and the NCoS were ongoing to outline modalities for implementation.
Yakubu said, “These include access to voting facilities, addressing political parties’ concerns, and determining the category of inmates covered by the court ruling.”
Commenting on the matter, however, Barrister Zurkallaini Sani Tsanyawa, while speaking with Dailypost, reaffirmed the electoral commission’s position, saying, “All Nigerian citizens have the right to vote, including detainees in Nigeria correctional services; as such, the chairman of INEC’s statement on the right of prisoners to vote during any election in Nigeria is in conformity with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and the ruling of the Court of Appeal.”
Conversely, he called for strict measures to be put in place so that desperate politicians do not take advantage of the new development.
Tsanyawa said, “Both security agencies and INEC must put measures against corrupt politicians who may use this opportunity to rig any election.”
In a similar manner, Professor Kamilu Sani Fagge from the political science department of Bayero University aligned his thought with tsanyawa, saying it is legal, but politicians will certainly exploit it.
He explained, “I applaud what INEC is trying to achieve. I actually think it’s long overdue, as prisoners deserve to exercise their rights during elections. However, there is still a serious concern regarding the possibility of manipulation and rigging. For this exercise to yield positive results, the commission has to put the correct protocols in place to ensure a free and fair election. All inmates eligible to vote should be registered, and a list should be made public to ensure proper monitoring. This way, the numbers cannot be inflated to favour any candidate or party.
“If this inmate voting is a thing we want to adopt, we must first of all start with a mock election. To measure the accuracy of the process as well as sight issues within the process that may arise and find solutions to it before a proper general election is held, not for it to be implemented without first being tested and tried,” he argued.
While the onlookers have continued to look at the proposal with disdain, the opposition is unsettled by the move, as the electoral process could mark a historic shift in the country’s democratic journey. However, it remains to be seen whether the outcome will be favourable or result in controversy.