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By Racy Moses
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, has withdrawn a proposed amendment to the Electoral Act 2022 that sought to make voting mandatory for eligible Nigerians.
The controversial bill, co-sponsored with Hon. Daniel Asama Ago, was introduced earlier in 2024 and had advanced to second reading on May 22, 2025. It aimed to boost civic responsibility by mandating electoral participation, drawing from examples in countries like Australia, Belgium, and Brazil, where compulsory voting has kept turnout rates consistently high.
While the initiative earned praise from some quarters for its intent to enhance democratic participation, critics warned it could undermine personal freedoms and would be challenging to implement across Nigeria’s complex sociopolitical landscape.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, Speaker Abbas said the decision to pull the bill followed “extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders.”
“The bill was introduced in good faith, to inspire greater civic engagement and deepen our democratic culture,” the Speaker stated. “However, genuine lawmaking must align with the people’s will and preserve their rights.”
Instead of enforcing participation, Abbas said the House would consider alternative strategies to encourage voluntary turnout, such as positive incentives and reforms that make voting more accessible and appealing to citizens.
He stressed that the withdrawal opens the door for a broader national conversation on fostering a participatory democracy grounded in both rights and responsibility.