By Zainab Rauf, Abuja A bill seeking to make voting compulsory for Nigerians of voting age has passed second reading in the Hou...
By Zainab Rauf, Abuja
A bill seeking to make voting compulsory for Nigerians of voting age has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
Titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to Make It Mandatory for All Nigerians of Majority Age to Vote in All National and State Elections and for Related Matters”, the proposed legislation is sponsored by House Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and Daniel Asama, member representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency of Plateau State.
First introduced by Speaker Tajudeen in February, the bill proposes imposing a maximum of six months imprisonment or a fine of no more than N100,000 for Nigerians of voting age who fail to vote during elections.
Leading the debate during plenary on Thursday, Asama argued that compulsory voting would deepen democracy, strengthen civic engagement, and reduce voter apathy. According to him, democracy thrives when citizens are actively engaged in the process of selecting their leaders and shaping the direction of governance.
Asama lamented Nigeria’s persistently low voter turnout, stating that it undermines electoral legitimacy and weakens democratic institutions.
“Voting is not only the right, but a civic responsibility. For global precedents, several democracies, including Australia, Belgium, and Brazil, for instance, have adopted mandatory voting for positive outcomes in terms of political participation and public accountability. For electoral apathy and voter inducement, mandatory voting can significantly reduce the influence of vote buying, as more citizens vote”, he argued.
In his contribution, the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, supported the bill, saying it was a good proposition and a step towards entrenching civic responsibility.
According to him, Nigerians are quick to condemn administrations, but slow to fulfil their civic obligations.
“In other climes that we have travelled to or lived in, personally in Australia, it is actually an offence for you not to vote during elections. There are even certain incentives citizens are denied if they fail to participate in elections”, Kalu said, adding that Nigerians should actively take part in the nation’s decision-making processes.
However, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, a PDP member representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, questioned the bill’s practicality and enforceability.
According to him, “It is not just enough to legislate compulsory voting. How will it be enforced? There are people who register in this country, and they are in Ghana, they are in the US, they are in Australia, they are in London. Who will provide the logistics for them to come? If you say it is compulsory, you will probably deny them a renewal of their passports. So, how will they get to my village, for instance?”
He warned against imposing penalties in a system still suffering from infrastructural deficits and questioned whether it would be fair to punish citizens who are unable to access polling units due to systemic challenges.
But Kalu, raising a point of order, cautioned Abiante against irrelevant submissions, stressing that members must confine their arguments to the principle of the bill, not its implementation challenges.
“What we are discussing is whether or not it should be mandatory for citizens to participate in elections. When it is time for debate on the budget or economic policies of the country, we can go into all that. What we are talking about regarding our electoral laws. It is good for Nigeria to show patriotism, that spirit of nationalism, participating in what is going on in your country, not just criticising”, he said.
Similarly, Esset Udo, a PDP member representing Uyo/Uruan/Nsit Atai/Asutan/Ibesikpo Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, argued that enacting a law to make voting compulsory is not enough to reform the electoral system.
“Let us not build something on nothing. If citizens have lost faith in the electoral system, there is much work to be done. Many Nigerians abstain from voting because they believe their votes do not count. If we must make voting compulsory, we must also enact a law to ensure that every vote truly counts”, Esset stated, but was shut down by Kalu, who said the comment was against the rules of the House.
Abbas, however, clarified that there is no law without an exemption, assuring that there could be in certain cases. He acknowledged Udo’s concerns and suggested that compulsory voting could actually help restore public confidence in leadership and governance.
When the bill was put to a voice vote, a section of the chamber that shouted “nay” was louder. The Speaker, however, ruled in favour of the “ayes.”
Meanwhile, the bill has been referred to the House Committee on Electoral Matters for further legislative action.
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