Court Rules Prisoners In Nigeria Have Right To Vote In All Elections

A Federal High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State, has held that
prisoners in Nigerian prisons have the right to vote in all
elections conducted in the country.
Justice Mohammed Lima, who made the ruling in a suit by
Victor Emenuwe, Onome Inaye, Kabiru Abu, Osagie
Iyekepolor, Modugu Odion (for and on behalf of inmates of
Nigeria Prisons), against the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, and the Controller-General of Nigeria
Prisons Service, also directed the defendants to ensure that
the applicants were not disenfranchised.
In his judgment, Justice Lima, said: "Act byINEC to deny
inmates the right to vote is unconstitutional, illegal,
irregular, unlawful,null and void and of no effect
whatsoever. The defendants do not have the constitutional
right to deny the claimants their voting rights."Being an
inmate is not an offence that impedes their registration and
voting right under section 24 of the Electoral Act; and that
the exclusion of inmates in elections conducted in Nigeria is
illegal and ultra vires."