Human rights advocate and controversial legal practitioner, Deji Adeyanju Esq., has urged the Nigerian government to extend voting rights to inmates in correctional facilities, arguing that such a step would strengthen the country’s democracy.
In a statement shared on his verified X handle on August 20, 2025, Adeyanju stressed that inmates who are not convicted of capital offences or whose cases are under appeal should not be stripped of their constitutional rights. He noted that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights—ratified by Nigeria—both recognise the right to vote.
“Denying inmates this right will amount to an additional punishment and undermines the principle that sovereignty belongs to the people, not just to the free citizens outside prison walls. In other democracies, inmates vote because citizenship and the obligations and rights it entails are not extinguished by incarceration,” Adeyanju wrote.
To ensure credibility in the process, he proposed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) create a verified prison voters’ register, conduct voter education in correctional centres, set up secure voting stations managed by INEC officials, and deploy civil society observers and journalists to monitor the exercise. He further emphasised the need for transparent ballot custody procedures to maintain trust.
Adeyanju argued that enfranchising inmates would reflect a shift towards a more inclusive democracy and help reduce political disenfranchisement. While acknowledging that public opinion may be divided—with some viewing it as undue privilege for lawbreakers—he maintained that transparent implementation could foster civic responsibility among inmates and strengthen trust in Nigeria’s electoral institutions.
Credit: @adeyanjudeji via X.
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