The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has withdrawn a proposed bill that would have made it compulsory for every eligible Nigerian to vote during elections. The move came days after the bill passed second reading and sparked strong reactions across the country.
The bill, which was jointly introduced by Abbas and fellow lawmaker Daniel Asama Ago, had aimed to change parts of the Electoral Act 2022. According to them, the main purpose was to increase citizen involvement in elections and improve Nigeria’s democratic system. But many Nigerians disagreed with the approach.
In a statement released on Monday, Abbas’ spokesperson, Musa Krishi, said the decision to withdraw the bill followed feedback from various individuals and organisations nationwide. “From the start, the goal was to get more people involved in elections and strengthen democracy by boosting voter turnout,” the statement read.
Although some supported the bill as a way to improve voter numbers, others saw it as a threat to personal choice. Critics argued that in a large and diverse country like Nigeria, forcing people to vote would be difficult to manage and could even lead to more problems.
Abbas noted that countries such as Australia, Belgium, and Brazil have higher voter turnout rates because of mandatory voting. However, he also pointed out that what works in those countries may not work in Nigeria. “Lawmaking is about serving the people, and any new law must respect personal freedom,” he said.
With the bill now withdrawn, lawmakers say they will focus on ways to promote voting without force. Abbas said the plan going forward is to encourage more young people and first-time voters to participate in elections willingly.
“This withdrawal gives us time to talk more about how to build a culture of voluntary voting that supports our democracy and respects citizens’ rights,” he added.
