By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
Several inroads have been made to ensure inclusivity in Nigeria’s electoral process and as part of efforts to ensure that all eligible Nigerians are given the right to vote, the Controller-General of the Nigeria Correctional Service(NCoS), Haliru Nababa, has begun negotiations with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the inclusion of inmates across the nation at the polls.
The Controller General accompanied by other officials of the Correctional Service, visited the National headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Abuja with a plea to include inmates in the electoral process since they are also part of the society
In his response to the request, the National Chairman, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, reitterated the commitment of the commission to ensuring that no eligible Nigerian is denied voting rights, but noted that until there is legal framework within which the commission will operate, he cannot guarantee the feasibility of such proposal as it has to be looked into.
According to him, the Commission’s commitment to inclusivity, informed its elaborate arrangements for persons with disability through provision of assistive devices, magnifying glasses, posters for the day, braille banner jackets during elections as well as the inclusion of persons with disabilities as ad hoc staff during the elections in the Osun State governorship election.
He however stressed that even though the request by the Correctional Service to extend voting rights to inmates of Correctional Service is agreeable and they have been in talks with the Correctional Service before the 2019 general elections, the time is not right.
The INEC chairman noted that already, two countries in the continent, Kenya and South Africa, have conferred voting rights on inmates but there’s still need to discuss the practicality of it being achieved in Nigeria as according to him, though four out of the five qualifications for registration as a voter in Nigeria are in favor of the inmates as provided by the Electoral Act 2022, the fifth one which states that such a citizen must not be subject to any legal incapacity to vote, under any law, rule, or regulation in force in Nigeria requires critical analysis.
Professor Yakubu wondered if the voting rights will be applicable in all 218 Correctional centers in the country and gave reasons why it will not be feasible just yet.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised to deliver the best ever general elections in Nigeria in 2023.
INEC boss, Professor Yakubu, made the pledge when he received delegations of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and that of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Abuja.
The leader of the delegations, the Secretary of State for Ohio, U.S.A, Mr Frank LaRose, had earlier commended the INEC on its various efforts at improving on the conduct of elections in Nigeria noting that there is still room to get better.
LaRose, who is an election commissioner in the State of Ohio, described his first visit to Nigeria as a great learning opportunity and urged INEC to keep improving on Nigeria’s electoral system.
According to him, the delegation share common belief with the Commission that Nigerians deserve to continue to have free, fair, and acceptable elections, so they are working towards a credible presidential election in 2023.
