Appeal Court affirms prisoners’ right to vote

The Court of Appeal sitting in Bénin City has granted an appeal
seeking to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) to include names of Nigeria citizens in prisons in the
country in its voters register.

It however refused to grant a declaration that INEC should
liaise with the Nigeria Prison Service to create a registration
center at various prisons across the country.

The appeal was filed by five inmates on behalf of other inmates
in Nigeria prisons across the country.

Those that filed the appeal are Victor Emenuwe, Onome Inaye,
Kabiru Abu, Osagie Iyekekpolor and Modugu Odion.

Justice S. Oseji who read the lead judgement on behalf of
Justice Helen Ogunwumiju said the appellant could appeal the
ruling.

Speaking to newsmen after the court ruling, Counsel to the
appellant, President Aigbokhan of the Initiative for Rural
Development, Information and Legal Advocacy (IRDILA) urged INEC to
commence immediate registration of inmates across the country for
them to participate in next year’s election.

Aigbokhan said they would appeal part of decision of the Court
of Appeal.

According to him, “Prison inmates have their community. Polling
units should be located there.

“One of our clients is the inmates in prisons. We believe they
have a right to vote in an election so as to decide those who
ultimately decide their future.

“When franchise is given to them, attention will be focused
there. Their situation and health conditions will be improved

“In 2014, the Federal High Court granted our prayers that
prisoners can vote but narrowed it to the four applicants in the
suit even though it was stated there that those applicants were
representing other inmates.

“We went to the Court of Appeal and the court agreed that the
judgement represent all inmates in the country. That INEC should
with immediate effect collage the names of inmates and allow them
to vote in 2019.

“The judgment has disagreed that INEC should create polling
units inside the prison. In 2015, the inmates are over 550,000. All
INEC need to do is to update their voter register and liaise with
NGO as volunteers to help them. It is victory for Nigeria’s
democracy.”

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