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Electoral Act Amendment: Bill Seeks Prisoners’ Right To Vote In Nigeria’s Elections
Electoral Act Amendment: Bill Seeks Prisoners’ Right To Vote In Nigeria’s Elections....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
A new bill submitted to the National Assembly aims to amend the Electoral Act, 2022, to grant inmates in Nigerian prisons the right to vote. The proposed legislation, titled “Bill for An Act to amend the Electoral Act to provide for the right to vote of persons detained or incarcerated in custodial institutions and other places of detention; and related matters,” is sponsored by the Carmelite Prisoners Interest Organization (CAPIO) and drafted by the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), led by Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja……CONTINUE READING
The bill proposes significant amendments to sections 9, 12, 13, 40, and 152 of the current Electoral Act. Key amendments include establishing polling units and voter registration centers in or near custodial centers and detention facilities. It also seeks to enable inmates to transfer their polling units to the location of their detention.
Key Provisions of the Bill:
- Polling Units in Custodial Centers:
- Section 40 of the Electoral Act, 2022, would be amended to insert a new subsection (3) mandating INEC to establish polling units in or near custodial centers in consultation with the facility heads.
- Voter Registration Centers:
- Section 9 would be amended to add subsection (8), requiring INEC to designate voter registration centers in or near custodial centers.
- Transfer of Polling Units for Inmates:
- Section 13 would be amended to allow inmates to transfer their registration to the polling units located at their detention facilities.
Justification for the Amendment:
CAPIO argues that the right to participate in government should not be denied to any eligible voter, including those in detention. This right is supported by various international and regional legal frameworks, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. The Nigerian Constitution also guarantees citizens the right to vote.
Despite these legal protections, inmates in Nigerian prisons have been denied the opportunity to vote. CAPIO emphasizes the need to rectify this disenfranchisement and uphold inmates’ voting rights, which were affirmed by a 2014 Federal High Court ruling in Benin, Edo State.
Historical Context and Legal Precedent:
In December 2014, Justice Mohammed Lima of the Federal High Court in Benin ruled that prisoners have the right to vote in Nigerian elections. The court’s decision mandated INEC and the Nigeria Prisons Service to ensure inmates are not disenfranchised. However, this ruling has not been fully implemented.
The Nigerian Senate also passed a resolution in March 2022 urging INEC to allow eligible inmates to vote and to collaborate with the Nigerian Correctional Service to establish voting centers in custodial facilities. INEC has yet to act on this resolution.
Significance of the Proposed Bill:
The bill seeks to address the ongoing violation of inmates’ voting rights by incorporating these rights into the Electoral Act, 2022. It aims to ensure that inmates can participate in the electoral process, thus enhancing the democratic principles of the country. The bill also acknowledges that over 80% of Nigerian prison inmates are awaiting trial and are presumed innocent under the law.
Implementation:
If passed, the bill will:
- Amend the Electoral Act to include provisions for inmates’ voting rights.
- Establish schedules and modalities for voter registration and elections in custodial centers.
- Provide funding for conducting elections in these facilities.
Conclusion:
The proposed amendments to the Electoral Act are designed to uphold the constitutional and human rights of inmates by ensuring their participation in Nigeria’s electoral process. This legislative effort reflects a commitment to democratic inclusivity and the protection of the voting rights of all citizens, regardless of their incarceration status.
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Peter Obi’s Convoy Attack: Police Unmask Arrested Suspect, Disclose What Happened.
The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a suspect over the attack on the convoy of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), in Calabar, the state capital.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The incident reportedly occurred at about 2:20 p.m. at the Watt Market Roundabout while the convoy was returning from the palace of the Obong of Calabar to the Metropolitan Hotel, where the party’s presidential town hall meeting was scheduled to take place.
The attack resulted in the windshields of some vehicles in the convoy being smashed.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, identified the arrested suspect as 27-year-old Victor Edet Yellow Duke.
According to the command, a group of suspected hoodlums, allegedly armed with machetes and sticks, emerged from the Calabar Road and Clerks Alley axis before attacking vehicles in the convoy.
The police said the exact number of vehicles affected had yet to be determined.
Officers deployed in the area quickly intervened to contain the violence. Their response, which involved the use of tear gas, resulted in the arrest of Duke, while the other suspected attackers escaped.
The suspect was subsequently transferred to the State Police Headquarters by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) for what the command described as a discreet investigation aimed at preventing possible reprisals or further threats to public order.
The police added that normalcy had returned to the area.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, has ordered a comprehensive investigation to identify and apprehend the other suspects involved and establish the full circumstances surrounding the attack.
The command also cautioned the public against assuming that the arrested man was guilty, stressing that he remained entitled to the presumption of innocence.
“The arrest of a suspect does not amount to a determination of guilt, as the suspect remains entitled to the presumption of innocence pending the conclusion of investigation and any subsequent judicial proceedings,” the statement said.
The police assured residents, political stakeholders and visitors that adequate security arrangements remained in place across the state.
It also reaffirmed its commitment to “providing equal security protection to all political parties, candidates and their supporters, irrespective of political affiliation.”
The command urged members of the public to remain calm, refrain from circulating unverified information and report suspicious activities through established police channels.
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Osun Govt Moves Against Oluwo, Places Monarch Under Close Watch
The Osun State Government has placed the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, under close monitoring over what it described as inflammatory remarks capable of threatening communal and religious harmony.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The government disclosed its decision in a letter issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Office of the Permanent Secretary. The letter, with reference number CD.17/1/VOL.VIII/377, was dated November 2026 and signed by Wale Alliyu on behalf of the Permanent Secretary.
In the correspondence, the government directed the monarch to stop making remarks targeting people of other religious beliefs and fellow traditional rulers.
A copy of the letter was also forwarded to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in his capacity as Chairman of the Osun State Council of Obas.
The government warned that the Oluwo’s alleged conduct was heightening communal tension, encouraging religious and communal division, and undermining the traditional values of his people and the Yoruba race.
In the letter, addressed to the monarch and received by his secretary on Tuesday, the government said it had taken note of several widely publicised statements and pronouncements attributed to Oba Akanbi, which it believed could trigger religious confrontation, conflicts between communities and a breakdown of public peace.
It added that the continued pattern of what it described as crisis-inducing remarks and disruptive behaviour had reached a point that the administration could no longer overlook.
The letter read:
“You cannot, and you must not, conduct yourself in any way that can foment religious crisis through serial attacks on people of other faiths. Your Royal Majesty is also invited to note that just as the traditional stool should not be used to incite religious war, its occupants should also be mindful not to erode the traditional values, culture and tradition of the society over which they preside.
“The government notes with shock and disbelief several statements and public utterances credited to Your Royal Majesty without denial.
“Your activities are raising communal tension, sowing seeds of communal and religious discord and increasingly discrediting the traditional values of your people and Yoruba society, of which your domain is a major part.
“These developments constitute serious threats to the peace, unity and stability of Osun State and your immediate domain.”
The government subsequently outlined a series of cautionary measures aimed at preventing a possible outbreak of religious or inter-community conflict.
It directed the Oluwo to:
- Immediately stop making further attacks against people of other faiths, stressing that every citizen has the right to freedom of religion.
- Refrain from attacking fellow traditional rulers to prevent possible conflicts between communities.
- Protect and promote the culture and traditions represented by the traditional institution he occupies.
- Conduct himself in accordance with the standards and regulations contained in the Chieftaincy Laws and resolutions of the State Council of Obas.
- Comply with the ministry’s cautionary directives, with the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs tasked with monitoring his conduct.
- Take note that the State Council of Obas had also been directed to monitor and respond to recent developments in Iwo land.
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Fresh Setback For NDC As Court Blocks INEC From Recognising Gwarzo.
Fresh court documents from the Federal High Court in Kano have provided an explanation for the absence of Aminu Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, from the updated list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Certified true copies of the court processes indicate that INEC was restrained by a court order from publishing the name of any NDC governorship candidate in the state.
The suit was filed by three party members, Garba Isa, Yau Nasiru and Atiku Abubakar, who listed INEC and the NDC as defendants.
The plaintiffs are challenging the emergence of Gwarzo as the party’s governorship candidate and Mustapha Kwankwaso, son of NDC vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso, as his running mate. They accused the Kwankwasiyya leader of imposing the candidates on the party.
Through their lawyer, S.A. Abdullahi, the plaintiffs filed an ex parte application on October 17, 2026.
In a ruling delivered on October 27, Justice Amobeda restrained INEC and anyone acting on its behalf from publishing the name of any NDC governorship candidate in Kano State until the court hears the motion on notice.
The judge also ordered the commission not to alter the final list it released on October 10. He directed that the court processes be served on the defendants and scheduled an accelerated hearing for November 2.
The documents appear to support INEC’s position that Gwarzo had been cleared but could not be listed because of the subsisting court order.
However, the hearing scheduled for Monday could not proceed after Gwarzo’s lawyer applied to join the case as a party.
The court subseq
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