Yiaga Africa Calls for Voting Rights for Inmates and Special Voters

• Yiaga Africa urged the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to grant voting rights to inmates and essential election workers
• The organization emphasized the need for systemic reforms to improve electoral transparency, including special voting provisions for essential personnel

Yiaga Africa has urged the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian Constitution to grant voting rights to inmates and introduce special voting provisions for eligible citizens performing essential election duties, such as security personnel, electoral staff, observers, and journalists.

The recommendation was made in the Preliminary Report of the 2024 Ghana General Election, presented in Abuja on Tuesday.

The report was signed by Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, Chair of Yiaga Africa’s Election Study Observation Mission (ESOM), and Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa.

Key Recommendations
The report emphasized the need for systemic reforms to enhance electoral transparency and inclusivity, including:

1. Post-Election Reviews: Establishing a permanent mechanism for routine post-election evaluations to identify and implement actionable reforms.
2. Ballot Paper Clarity: Reviewing ballot paper formats to include candidates’ photographs, names, and symbols for voter clarity.
3. Transparency in Election Processes: Proactively disclosing election-related information and involving political parties, civil society, and the media in procurement processes.
4. Technology Integration: Leveraging technology and ethical artificial intelligence to ensure the integrity of voter registration, authentication, and result collation.
5. Special Voting Provisions: Introducing proxy voting, special voting for essential workers, and granting inmates the right to vote to expand citizen participation.

Yiaga Africa commended Ghana’s electoral practices for their inclusivity and transparency. These practices include:

• Allowing voters without verification IDs to vote if their names appear on the voter register reduces disenfranchisement.
• Using voice prompts on Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs), such as “Verified” or “Rejected,” to enhance the monitoring process.
• Permitting unrestricted movement on election day, enabling citizens to vote freely while maintaining economic activities.
• Ensuring transparency by verifying results at the national collation center with party agents present.

The report highlighted the importance of protecting voting rights through innovations like special and proxy voting, which bolster citizen participation.

Additionally, practices such as including tissue boxes in voting cubicles help prevent ballot smudging, while systematic and data-driven parallel result tallying by political parties fosters acceptance of electoral outcomes.

Yiaga Africa stressed that such reforms would strengthen Nigeria’s democratic processes, enhance voter confidence, and promote election transparency.

The organization called on political stakeholders to uphold national values such as patriotism, integrity, and public interest in advancing electoral reforms.