The Senate has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to allow eligible prison inmates to exercise to vote during elections in the country.
The upper legislative chamber also asked INEC and all relevant agencies to update register of voters, taking into consideration the prison population for the purpose of elections.
In a resolution reached by the Senate following a motion sponsored by Senator Abba Moro (Benue South), the Senate also urged the commission in collaboration with the Nigeria Correctional Service to locate voting centres at Custodial Centres across the country to be used for voting.
The motion was entitled, “The prerogative of prison inmates to vote in general elections in Nigeria: Statutory, inalienable and non-negotiable.”
Moro, in his presentation, said, “The Senate notes that certain human rights are inalienable and come naturally with the birth of the individual. One of such rights is that of citizenship. Incarceration, though, is one of the legal grounds of depriving a person or an offender in custody of certain rights, the right of citizenship cannot at any point be taken away.
“The Senate notes further that citizenship as encapsulated under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) comes with many defined rights and civic responsibilities, one of which is the right to vote in general elections.
“The Senate notes again that there are certain persons in prison custody awaiting trial, undergoing trial or awaiting conviction for one offence or the other whose right to vote and citizenship remain sacrosanct.”