The Unemployed Youth Initiative (UYI) has condemned the alleged disenfranchisement of security personnel, inmates, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during elections.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, UYI’s Convener, Danesi Momoh Prince, expressed deep concern over the deliberate exclusion of these critical groups from the electoral process.

The rights group argued that despite Nigeria’s commitment to democratic principles, the existing electoral framework continues to deny certain categories of citizens their fundamental right to vote, thereby undermining the credibility, inclusiveness, and fairness of elections.

UYI questioned why key segments of the population who play essential roles in ensuring electoral integrity and maintaining law and order are denied the opportunity to participate in choosing their leaders.

Lamenting the situation, the group emphasized that the absence of provisions such as out-of-station voting suppresses the voices of thousands of Nigerians, particularly young people, who should be actively involved in shaping the country’s future.

“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 often stationed far from their polling units on election day,” the group noted.

“Unlike in other democracies where special voting arrangements exist for election workers, Nigeria’s system deprives them of their fundamental right to vote, raising serious concerns about electoral fairness.”

UYI also expressed concern over the exclusion of prison inmates from voting as a glaring violation of their constitutional rights.

The group referenced a landmark 2014 court ruling that affirmed inmates’ voting rights, yet remains unimplemented by INEC and other relevant authorities.

They argued that this systemic neglect reinforces discrimination against incarcerated individuals, many of whom have not been convicted 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,” UYI stressed.

The group further called on INEC to comply with a pending court directive mandating a special voter registration exercise for inmates and urged the commission to collaborate in ensuring broader electoral participation for all affected stakeholders.