The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has officially withdrawn the bill proposing to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerian citizens.
This update was revealed in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, and shared with Channels Television on Monday.
Tajudeen explained that the decision followed thorough consultations with various stakeholders.
He noted that the bill, which he co-sponsored with Daniel Ago, the representative for Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, was introduced “with the best of intentions.”
He emphasized, “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.”
Highlighting international examples, Tajudeen pointed out “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.”
Despite these examples, Tajudeen expressed his preference for encouraging voluntary participation rather than compulsion:
“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 had already passed the second reading before its withdrawal.
It faced criticism from Nigerians who deemed it unconstitutional. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olisa Agbakoba, voiced strong opposition during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, saying “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 further questioned the rationale behind the bill.
“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, also criticized the bill’s compatibility with constitutional rights.
In a statement titled ‘Compulsory Voting is Not Enough’ issued on May 19, 2025, Falana wrote:
“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.”
