Don urges INEC to allow inmates vote, says constitution does not disenfranchise prisoners
A Professor of Jurisprudential Criminology, Kazeem Olaniyan, at Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, has asserted that the 1999 Constitution does not strip prisoners of their voting rights, urging the Independent
A Professor of Jurisprudential Criminology, Kazeem Olaniyan, at Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, has asserted that the 1999 Constitution does not strip prisoners of their voting rights, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to establish polling units within correctional centres to enable their participation in elections.
Delivering the 8th inaugural lecture titled “The Just, Justice and Judicial: A Jurisprudential Journey in the Justiciable Jungle” at the institution, Olaniyan noted that the enactment of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 shifted the focus of incarceration from punishment to correction and rehabilitation.
Describing the disenfranchisement of inmates as a form of “civil death,” the professor argued that INEC’s current stance effectively imposes a de facto ban on prisoners, which undermines the reformative principles of modern penology.
He disclosed that out of approximately 81,000 inmates nationwide, about 68 per cent are awaiting trial. According to him, allowing inmates to vote would encourage civic engagement and foster a sense of responsibility toward laws and public policies affecting their lives and families.
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Olaniyan advocated for the formal recognition of inmates’ voting rights, noting that while there has been approval in principle by relevant authorities and INEC, significant structural barriers continue to hinder implementation as provided for under the Electoral Act.
According to him, “Allowing the correctional centre inmates the opportunity to register will entail moving biometric capture equipment into over 240 correctional facilities nationwide. Again, the need to provide campaign access to political parties and candidates for inmates without compromising prison security, and, of course, how to prevent what is called "command voting," where prison officials might influence inmates' choices of candidates and political parties to vote for.
“In order to ensure a hitch-free voting process for the inmates, the Electoral Act should be further amended to explicitly provide for the establishment of what is known as Special Polling Units in every Custodial Centre.”
The Professor added that “Making voter registration or update of voter details part of the intake process at correctional centres and upon entry, and of course, allowing non-partisan civil society organisations (CSOs) access to prisons to conduct voter education in the form of civic education.”
