On Friday, court of Appeal Benin Division granted the prayers of five
prisoners seeking the order of the court to direct the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include all prisoners in the
voter register. Justice S. Oseji, delivered the lead judgment on
behalf of Justice Helen Ogunwumiju. The appeal was filed by five
inmates on behalf of other inmates in Nigerian prisons. Those that
filed the appeal are Victor Emenuwe, Onome Inaye, Kabiru Abu, Osagie
Iyekekpolor and Modugu Odion. The judgment affirmed the judgment granted
by a Federal High Court in 2014, that prisoners can vote. However,
Oseji did not grant a declaration that INEC liaise with the Nigeria
Prison Service to create a registration centre at various prisons across
the country.Speaking to newsmen after the judgment, 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
some aspects of the decision of the Court of Appeal. According to him,
“Prison inmates have their community. Polling units should be located
there. 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 represented all inmates in the country.That
INEC should with immediate effect collate the names of inmates and allow
them to vote in 2019. “The judgment disagreed that INEC should create
polling units inside the prison. In 2015, the inmates were over 550,000.
All INEC needs to do is to update their voter register and liaise with
NGO as volunteers to help them. It is victory for Nigeria’s democracy.”2019: Court of Appeal orders INECÂ to register inmates
On Friday, court of Appeal Benin Division granted the prayers of five
prisoners seeking the order of the court to direct the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include all prisoners in the
voter register. Justice S. Oseji, delivered the lead judgment on
behalf of Justice Helen Ogunwumiju. The appeal was filed by five
inmates on behalf of other inmates in Nigerian prisons. Those that
filed the appeal are Victor Emenuwe, Onome Inaye, Kabiru Abu, Osagie
Iyekekpolor and Modugu Odion. The judgment affirmed the judgment granted
by a Federal High Court in 2014, that prisoners can vote. However,
Oseji did not grant a declaration that INEC liaise with the Nigeria
Prison Service to create a registration centre at various prisons across
the country.Speaking to newsmen after the judgment, 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
some aspects of the decision of the Court of Appeal. According to him,
“Prison inmates have their community. Polling units should be located
there. 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 represented all inmates in the country.That
INEC should with immediate effect collate the names of inmates and allow
them to vote in 2019. “The judgment disagreed that INEC should create
polling units inside the prison. In 2015, the inmates were over 550,000.
All INEC needs to do is to update their voter register and liaise with
NGO as volunteers to help them. It is victory for Nigeria’s democracy.”
