By Ihechi Enyinnaya
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has announced the withdrawal of the bill aimed at amending the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians.
Tajudeen disclosed this in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, and made available to Channels Television on Monday.
He said the decision followed extensive consultations with stakeholders, adding, however, that the bill, which he co-sponsored with the member representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, Daniel Ago, was introduced with the “best of intentions”.
“From the outset, the bill was introduced with the best of intentions, which is to bolster civic engagement and strengthen our democracy by encouraging higher voter turnout.
“Compulsory voting has long been practised with notable success in countries such as Australia, Belgium, and Brazil, where it has helped sustain participation rates above 90 per cent, while nations like Argentina and Singapore have also implemented similar measures to foster inclusivity at the ballot box,” he said.
Tajudeen said that rather than compel participation, he was committed to exploring positive incentives and innovative approaches that would make voting more attractive.
He said, “Nevertheless, the Speaker acknowledges that lawmaking is ultimately about the people it serves and that any reform must respect individual freedoms and public sentiment. Rather than compel participation, he is committed to exploring positive incentives and innovative approaches that will make voting more attractive and accessible to all Nigerians.
“This withdrawal will allow time for further dialogue on how best to cultivate a culture of voluntary participation that honours both our democratic ideals and the rights of our citizens.”
The bill, which had already scaled the second reading before its withdrawal in the House, was faulted by Nigerians who described it as unconstitutional.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olisa Agbakoba, while criticising the bill, said that he would rather be jailed than comply with such a law.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Agbakoba said, “Look at the ridiculous one in the National Assembly about voting being compulsory.
“If that bill were to pass, I would say, ‘Agbakoba, we will not obey it.’ I’ll plead conscientious objection. I’d rather go to prison for six months than obey it,” he said.
“Why would the National Assembly want to impose compulsory voting? Why don’t they reverse the question and say, Why are Nigerians not interested? What is the apathy about?”
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, said that the fundamental rights of Nigerians to privacy, freedom of thought, and conscience were protected by constitutional provisions.
Falana, in a statement issued on May 19, 2025, titled ‘Compulsory Voting is Not Enough’, said, “The said constitutional provisions protect the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people to privacy, freedom of thought and conscience, as well as the freedom to register and vote in national and state elections conducted in Nigeria.
“However, it is doubtful whether the Speaker and his colleagues have paid sufficient attention to the relevant provisions of the Constitution. Otherwise, they would have realised that the compulsory voting is constitutionally invalid in every material particular on the ground that it is inconsistent with Sections 37, 38, 77(2), 135(5), and 178(5) of the Constitution.”
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