Yakubu made this known on Friday, August 8, while receiving the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
He affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which granted inmates the right to register and vote in any election. According to him, INEC has held a series of meetings with the Correctional Service to work out modalities for implementing the ruling. These discussions have covered issues such as access to facilities, political parties’ concerns, and clarifications on the category of inmates covered by the judgment.
Yakubu also stressed the need to seek the intervention of the National Assembly to properly address the matter within the legal framework. He assured the Correctional Service of INEC’s readiness to ensure inmates can vote, provided the process aligns with existing laws.
His remarks came in response to Nwakuche’s appeal for the electoral body to extend voting rights to inmates, particularly those awaiting trial.
According to the Comptroller General, there are over 81,000 inmates across correctional centres nationwide, with about 66 percent awaiting trial. He also cited a recent court ruling that upheld the rights of inmates—especially those yet to be convicted—to participate in elections.
