The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has withdrawn a proposed bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting compulsory for all eligible Nigerians in national and state elections.
The bill, co-sponsored with Daniel Ago, was met with strong opposition from citizens and rights groups, who raised concerns over enforcement and personal liberty, leading to its eventual withdrawal by the Speaker.
In a statement released on Monday by his media aide, Musa Krishi, the Speaker said the decision to withdraw the bill—which had passed second reading in the House last Thursday—followed extensive consultations with individuals and interest groups across the country.
“From the start, the goal was to get more people involved in elections and strengthen democracy by boosting voter turnout,” the statement read.
Abbas noted that countries such as Australia, Belgium, and Brazil have successfully implemented compulsory voting, resulting in consistently high turnout. However, he emphasized that Nigeria must adopt solutions that reflect its unique context.
“Lawmaking is about serving the people, and any new law must respect personal freedom,” he said.
Abbas further explained that the focus will now shift to encouraging voluntary participation in elections, particularly among young people and first-time voters.
“This withdrawal gives us time to talk more about how to build a culture of voluntary voting that supports our democracy and respects citizens’ rights,” he added.
Many Nigerians had opposed the bill, urging lawmakers to instead tackle key issues affecting elections—such as electoral violence, lack of public trust in the process, and poor logistical planning—all of which discourage voter turnout.
