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By Lizzy Atime
As the 2027 poll draws near, the Unemployed Youth Initiative (UYI) have warned against the disenfranchisement of security personnel, inmates, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on election day.
UYI’s Convener, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince at a press conference held in Abuja expressed deep concern over the deliberate disenfranchisement of such critical segments of the population in the electioneering process of the country.
The rights group argued that despite Nigeria’s commitment to democratic principles, the current electoral framework continues to exclude essential groups of citizens, thereby undermining the credibility, inclusiveness, and fairness of elections.
The group wondered why key segments of the population who, by virtue of their duties or circumstances, are denied the fundamental right to vote for playing a crucial role in safeguarding electoral integrity by maintaining law and order during elections.
Lamenting the development, he noted that the failure to make provisions for their participation, such as out-of-station voting, suppresses the voices of thousands of young Nigerians who should be active participants in shaping the future of their country.
“The personnel tasked with conducting free, fair, and credible elections ironically do not have the opportunity to vote themselves. Election workers, both permanent and temporary, are stationed at different locations during elections, often far from their polling units,” the group noted.
“Unlike in other democracies where special voting arrangements are made for election workers, Nigeria’s system deprives them of their fundamental right to vote, further raising concerns about electoral fairness.”
The group particularly remarked that the exclusion of prison inmates from voting remains a glaring violation of their constitutional rights.
This , they argued is in breach of a landmark 2014 court ruling which affirmed the voting rights of inmates.
According to the group, INEC and other relevant authorities have failed to implement the court ruling, leaving thousands of eligible voters disenfranchised.
They added that the systemic neglect reinforces discrimination against incarcerated individuals, many of whom have not been convicted of any crime but remain in prolonged pre-trial detention.
“The denial of voting rights to these key groups not only contradicts democratic principles but also weakens national unity, governance, and public trust in the electoral process. There is a pending court directive for the INEC chairman to immediately conduct a special registration exercise for inmates. We urge the Commission to work with us in making this registration cut across the identified stakeholders,” the group stressed.