Speaker Abbas withdraws compulsory voting bill

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt (Hon) Tajudeen Abbas, has withdrawn a bill seeking to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians.

The bill, co-sponsored with Hon. Daniel Asama Ago, aimed to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to enforce compulsory voting as a means of deepening democratic participation.

In a statement issued Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the Speaker said the decision followed “extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders” across the country.

“From the outset, the bill was introduced with the best of intentions—to bolster civic engagement and strengthen our democracy by encouraging higher voter turnout,” the statement read.

The bill had earlier passed second reading on the floor of the House on March 21, 2024, sparking widespread debate among lawmakers, civil society organisations, and the general public.

While proponents argued it would significantly increase voter turnout, critics raised concerns about its implications on individual rights and the feasibility of enforcing such a law in Nigeria’s diverse electoral landscape.