May 18, (THEWILL) – For even members of the House of Representatives, a bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting compulsory for all Nigerians of voting age in national and state elections looks ridiculous and lousy. And when it was re-introduced on Thursday after sufficient public opposition greeted its introduction in March 2025, more Nigerians added their dissent again, questioning the motives of the sponsors of the bill.
The bill is being jointly sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Daniel Asama, a lawmaker from Plateau State. On Thursday, it passed second reading in plenary presided over by the Speaker.
According to the proposed legislation, defaulting eligible voters who fail to vote without valid justification, would pay a fine of N100,000, a six-month jail term, or both.
Apart from the public which has criticised the bill, members of the House are divided over it.
According to Asama, one of its proponents, democracy thrives and rests on civic participation because it is only when people are actively involved on choosing their leaders they can also participate in governance.
“Voting is not only a right but a civic responsibility, and in many democracies across the world, it is treated as such,” he said, adding that, “This bill proposes to introduce mandatory voting for all Nigerians of voting age in general elections, both at the national and state levels. It seeks to amend the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, to reflect this obligation, while also allowing for limited and justified exemptions where necessary.”
If this legislation was not done, the country will continue to witness low voter turn-out as it happened in the 2023 general polls, he argued.
“Nigeria has consistently recorded alarmingly low voter turnout rates in recent elections. For instance, in the 2023 general elections, less than 30 per cent of registered voters participated. This trend undermines the legitimacy of elected governments and weakens democratic institutions. By making voting a legal obligation, it will instil in citizens a sense of civic duty and shared responsibility in the governance process,” he said. He cited countries like Brazil, Australia and Belgium where the law mandates citizens to vote at every election.
According to him, the bill seeks to amend the Electoral Act, 2022, to make voting in national and state elections compulsory for all citizens aged 18 and above. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Tijani Ghali (NNPP, Kano), and Amadi Akarachi (APC, Imo), spoke in support of the proposed bill.
Hardly had he finished than some of his colleagues rose to disagree with his position. Two lawmakers from Akwa Ibom and Rivers State, respectively, Mark Essiet and Awaji-Inombbek-Ahiante, canvassed the views that the proposed bill was begging the question of administrative and logistical challenges that hamper electoral processes and system in the country.
Esset, representing Uyo/Uruan Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, said, “We are trying to put something on nothing. When citizens have lost confidence in voting, there is a lot of work to be done. If we make a law to make voting compulsory, we should make another law to make the votes count.”
Similarly, Abiante said, “I agree that every adult man and woman should participate in deciding their leaders, but there are certain questions we need to ask. What are the incentives to make them go out and vote? Have they been assured of their security? We are talking of a country where the name Mike Tyson is still on the voter register. Do we have an authentic voter register?
“If you make voting compulsory, there are Nigerians in Ghana, the United States and everywhere. How do you bring them back to vote?”
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Electoral Matters for further legislative action.
Meanwhile, the same pattern of assessment is gone on in the public. The Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, while noting that Nigeria will not be the first country that practices compulsory voting, however, kicked against the imposition of a six-month jail term for Nigerians who failed to vote, saying the move is draconian in every respect, and undermines the freedom to participate in the electoral process.
According to Itodo Nigeria will not be the first country that practices compulsory voting, but he said that the Bill totally amounts to legislative overkill and expressed the view that it will pass.
“We cannot compel participation because not participating is also another form of political participation, and we need to recognize that. If the National Assembly, in its wisdom, is seeking ways, you know, to enforce and ensure turnout in an election, then they will need to ensure that votes count. Because if people trust that their vote will count at elections, they will show up. Secondly, people who are elected in and in elections should deliver good governance, so that when people reconcile the state of their livelihood and their participation in elections, they will turn up to cast their vote subsequently.
“But when people stand in long queues, they vote for people into office, and when people get into office, they don’t solve problems that their voters ask them to solve, nothing is going to force them to vote again.”
Similarly, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has kicked against the bill.
SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, said: “Jailing eligible Nigerians for deciding not to vote would be entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
He further said “Rather than proposing bills that would severely punish Nigerians who may decide not to exercise their right to vote, the National Assembly ought to propose bills to remove constitutional immunity for governors and their deputies who commit electoral offences and undermine the integrity of the electoral process.”
According to SERAP, “The most effective way to solve the perennial voter apathy is to create a safe and conducive environment, combat the impunity of high-ranking politicians who commit electoral offences, and generally improve the electoral process to encourage the citizens to come out to vote, and not to send them to jail.”
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Awa Kalu, dismissed the Bill as unnecessary and out of touch with democratic norms, saying that, “voting is a civic responsibility; it is not compulsory in any clime known to me. Let’s talk about Bills that require genuine legislative action.”
On his part, Babatunde Fashanu (SAN) described it as absolutely ludicrous, adding that “voting is a civic duty, but it is never a compulsory duty anywhere in the world. In safer climes, no holiday is ever declared on voting days. It must be the choice of a citizen whether or not to vote at all and who to vote for, and in a secret ballot.”
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
