The Independent National Electoral Commission has intensified efforts towards ensuring the rights of prison inmates to vote in the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria.
The electoral body is making arrangements with the Nigeria Prisons Service to ensure that prisoners are allowed to vote in the 2019 general elections.
The Secretary of INEC in Kebbi State, Alhaji Bello Magaji Isah, made the disclosure during a visit to the Controller of Prisons in Kebbi State, Mallam Sani Adamu Potiskum, in Kebbi.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had last year announced that his commission was making arrangements with the Nigerian Prisons Service to allow some classes of prisoners to vote in the next general elections scheduled for 2019.
During his visit to the Prisons Office in Kebbi, Isah said there is a need for effective synergy among critical stakeholders in creating public awareness on inmates voting rights towards ensuring participations of eligible Nigerians to exercise their franchise.
Isah said: “I am here to let you know that the INEC is working on the possibility of creating polling units in Nigerian prisons to allow some categories of inmates to vote.
“The essence is to capture as many eligible voters to participate in the election since voters’ education and sensitisation are very essential in this regard.
“We also consider the feasibility of inmates in custody and the plight of Internally Displaced Persons, Persons With Disabilities and People in Diaspora to Vote in elections.”
The state INEC boss also disclosed that the commission is collaborating with other stakeholders to ensure all eligible citizens in Kebbi State exercised their Voting Rights.
In his remarks, Potiskum said the Controller-General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed, had instructed all Controllers of Prisons nationwide to provide maximum support to INEC and other agencies of government on their statutory mandates.
Potiskum said: “We have been instructed by the Controller General, Ja’afaru Ahmed, to provide all necessary support in ensuring that you succeed in your campaign on inmates’ rights to vote even though they lack rights to be voted.
“We are ever ready to assist the commission in conducting secure, free and fair elections and to ensure the rights of inmates in custody are not disenfranchised.”