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INEC to Allow Prison Inmates Vote in 2027 General Elections – Yakubu

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Onyenobi Chinwendu Samuel
August 8, 2025

Abuja Nigeria 🇳🇬 – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to include prison inmates in the 2027 general elections, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s democratic process.

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made the declaration on Friday, August 8, 2025, during a policy engagement in Abuja. He stated that the right to vote is constitutionally guaranteed and that the Commission is working to ensure no eligible Nigerian, including those in correctional centres, is disenfranchised.

“The right to vote is not a privilege. It is a constitutional right, and INEC is committed to making sure inmates who are eligible are not left out,” Yakubu affirmed.

This move follows a May 2025 Supreme Court ruling, which affirmed INEC’s authority to implement systems that allow inmate voting, including establishing polling units inside correctional facilities or enabling supervised voting outside them.

INEC has already submitted proposals to the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, aiming to legally support voting for inmates, early voters (e.g., security agencies), and Nigerians abroad.

The Commission is partnering with the Nigerian Correctional Service and civil society groups to map eligible inmates, conduct voter registration, and carry out voter education in selected correctional facilities. A pilot phase is expected in 2026 ahead of full rollout in 2027.

Eligibility will be limited to inmates who meet the legal voting age and are not under any judicial disqualification. Convicts of electoral offences will remain barred.

Human rights advocates have welcomed the move as a long-overdue step towards inclusive democracy. However, some stakeholders have called for strict vetting and security measures during implementation.

If successful, Nigeria will join countries like South Africa and Kenya in recognizing inmates’ voting rights ; a bold step toward electoral inclusivity.

“A true democracy leaves no citizen behind,” Prof. Yakubu concluded.

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Politics

State House of Assembly suspends Local Govt chairman

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State House of Assembly suspends LG chairman

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has suspended the Chairman of Lafia Local Government, Mohammad Haliru Arabo, for three months over his role in the unlawful removal of the council’s Speaker.

The decision was taken during plenary in Lafia after a motion was raised by Musa Ibrahim Abubakar, who leads the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Lawmakers agreed that the action was needed to allow a fair investigation and calm the tension that followed the leadership dispute in the council.

The Speaker of the House, Danladi Jatau, said the suspension will stand until the committee completes its findings.

He said that the current structure of the Lafia Legislative Arm will remain unchanged throughout the investigation.

During this period, the Deputy Chairman of Lafia Local Government, Uba Arikiya, has been directed to take charge of the council.

The Speaker explained that the House acted within the powers given to it by the constitution and questioned why the Chairman ventured into matters that belong to the legislature.

The Clerk of the House has been asked to notify Governor Abdullahi Sule of the resolution.

Lawmakers such as Hajarat Danyaro Ibrahim, Mohammed Garba Isimbabi, Suleiman Yakubu Azara, and Larry Ven-Bawa backed the move, saying that the suspension would help prevent a wider crisis in the council and send a clear message to other local governments in the state.

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Gov Fubara Defects To APC

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Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He announced this at a stakeholders meeting at the government house in Port Harcourt.

Watch Video Below….

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSDP2ArDXcN/?igsh=MXg5ZDgwZ3Zsdmo1eQ==

 

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Governor Uzodinma urged to avoid producing incompetent successor

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The Owerri Zone Awareness Coalition, OZAC, has urged the Governor of Imo State Hope Uzodinma to avoid making the mistake of producing a wrong successor after his administration, to avoid moving the state backwards at a time the world is moving at breakneck speed.

OZAC gave the advice in an open letter addressed to the Governor, signed by its President, Emmanuel Okwu, and Secretary, Austin Echefu.

It stated that the letter is written at a defining moment for the state when the legacy of the Governor will no longer be limited to roads, buildings, or political victories, but the quality of leadership been midwifed by him as successor, noting that power ends but its consequences do not.

The group maintained that Who comes after Uzodinma matters a lot as it will either consolidate on his gains or dismantle them with frightening speed.

“Let it be said clearly that your administration has not been without visible effort. From road rehabilitation across key urban centres, to improved security coordination, urban renewal projects, and renewed activity in health and education infrastructure, your Government has restored a measure of structure where chaos once thrived. These are tangible footprints that history will record.

“But history will also demand an answer to a larger question: did you secure the future or mortgage it? Succession is not a gamble. It is the final and most decisive test of leadership. Any error here will erase years of effort in a single reckless political transaction.”the letter read.

OZAC stated that it aligns firmly with the legitimate aspiration of Owerri Zone to produce the next Governor of the state, pointing out that equity, balance, and fairness justify the demand.

It, however, made it clear that zoning is not a substitute for competence, maintaining that the zone must not be reduced to a shelter for mediocrity simply because it is its turn.

“This is no longer the era of political experimentation. Imo is too exposed, too educated, and too globally connected to be handed over to political rookies, social media warriors, or gatecrashers who stumbled into relevance without depth, experience or capacity “the group added.

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