Senate Asked INEC To Allow Eligible Prisoners To Vote In Elections

The Senate on Tuesday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow duly registered and eligible prisoners to vote in general elections.
It also advised the electoral umpire to determine the status of inmates who are constitutionally and legally eligible to register as voters and vote at elections.
The commission and relevant agencies were also urged by the Red Chamber to conduct voter education in all Nigerian prisons, informing inmates of their rights and the importance of exercising their right to vote in general elections.
According to the Senate, INEC and all relevant agencies should update voter registration lists to reflect the prison population for election purposes.
The upper chamber also urged INEC to work with the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) to establish voting centers at detention facilities across the country.
Senator Patrick Abba Moro sponsored a motion that led to the adoption of the Senate resolutions (Benue South).

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‘The right of prison inmates to vote in general elections in Nigeria: Statutory, Inalienable, and Non-negotiable,’ read the motion.
“The Senate notes that certain human rights are inalienable and come with the birth of the individual,” Senator Moro said in his presentation. Citizenship is an example of one such right. Despite the fact that incarceration is one of the legal grounds for depriving a person or an offender in custody of certain rights, citizenship cannot be taken away at any time.”
He went on to say that citizenship comes with many defined rights and civic responsibilities, one of which is the right to vote in general elections, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended).
“It should be noted that certain individuals in prison custody awaiting trial, undergoing trial, or awaiting conviction for one or more offenses retain their right to vote and citizenship.

Note that being a prison inmate has no bearing on a prisoner’s right to register and vote under Section 24 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and denying prison inmates access to the electoral process is an infringement of their rights as citizens of Nigeria under Section 25 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which confirms the definition of who a citizen is, and Section 12(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
The Senate also postponed its consideration of a report on the Proceeds of Crimes (Recovery and Management) Bill, 2022, on Tuesday.

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The Joint Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, as well as the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, produced the report.
While calling for the report to be pushed back, Senate President Dr. Ahmad Lawan stated that doing so would allow for more robust contributions from lawmakers who were unable to attend the session.
Nevertheless, he stated that the report would be discussed in plenary on Wednesday.