Speaker Abbas Withdraws Nigeria’s Compulsory Voting Bill

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has announced the withdrawal of the Bill to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians, which he co-sponsored with Daniel Asama Ago.

Speaker Abbas in a statement on Monday says the withdrawal follows extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders.

The statement by the Special Adviser on Media, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, he says 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 adds

Nevertheless, the Speaker acknowledges that lawmaking is ultimately about the people it serves, and that any reform must respect individual freedoms and public sentiment.

He notes that 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.

Speaker Abbas stresses that 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.

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