The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has officially withdrawn the bill proposing to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerian citizens.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.”

Officials from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have sealed off Wadata Plaza, the building that houses the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, due to unpaid ground and tenancy rent.

The action affected other structures as well, including offices of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, disclosed on his Facebook page that the plaza owes N7,603,504.31 in ground rent accumulated over 28 years.

He wrote “On Wadata Plaza being used as PDP National Secretariat, N7,603,504.31 is being owed as 28 years’ Ground Rent.”

The sealing of the PDP secretariat forced the party to relocate its caucus meeting to a different venue.

The FCT administration also sealed other buildings on Monday, including a commercial bank complex, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and NAPTIP offices located in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

At the FIRS premises, tensions flared between FCTA officials and the agency’s security guards and staff, who initially resisted the sealing.

Eventually, the FCTA officials were allowed access and proceeded with the closure.

Olayinka further revealed that FIRS has failed to pay ground rent for 25 years.

This enforcement comes months after the FCTA lamented losing over N6 billion in revenue due to non-compliance by property owners who have not paid ground rents for more than a decade.

In a statement last week, the FCTA—through Olayinka and the Director of the Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, announced the revocation of 4,794 properties over unpaid ground rent ranging from 10 to 43 years.

The statement read “Ownership of the revoked 4,794 properties in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape districts, had already reverted to the FCTA, and as from Monday, next week, the government will begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties.”

It added “As usual, this will be done without consideration as to ownership of the affected landed properties. It will be purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process.”

According to the FCTA, these buildings now legally belong to the administration.

Former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has dismissed any possibility of forming an alliance with other groups or individuals ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state.

Aregbesola made this declaration during a reception hosted in his honor by the Omoluabi Progressives, a political movement he established, on the occasion of his 68th birthday, celebrated in Osogbo on Sunday.

During his address, Aregbesola expressed optimism about his group’s prospects in the next election, stating, “By this time next year, we will all be close to Abere (Osun Governor’s Office). May God make it so.”

Addressing growing speculation about a potential coalition, he clarified the position of his faction.

“So, people are having untrue impression that we will align with anyone (in the governorship poll).
We are not going to align with anyone. We are going to pursue our political interest separately.
No alliance with anyone or group. By the grace of God, this group will win.
We will contest and we will win. The election that will follow that of next year….” he affirmed.

Aregbesola also reflected on the importance of honoring mothers during birthday celebrations, adding,
“Whenever you are celebrating birthday, during the celebration, always remember to pray for your mother.
The pains they endure during childbirth is enormous. So whether alive or late, birthday celebrations should be dedicated to prayers for mothers.”

He went on to express gratitude to the event’s organizers, saying, “I am happy for this honor. I pray for you all, may you continue to succeed in all your endeavors.”

Speaking earlier at the gathering, Moshood Adeoti, who served as Secretary to the State Government under Aregbesola, urged members of the Omoluabi Progressives to stay true to the movement’s founding principles.

Representing Governor Ademola Adeleke at the event, Biyi Odunlade praised Aregbesola’s enduring influence on governance in Osun.

“I celebrate you because you left a good template for good governance in Osun State that can not be faulted by anybody.
Your legacy of service is exemplary and remarkable, one that stands you out among your contemporaries,” he said.

The celebration was well attended by Aregbesola’s political allies from Lagos, members of the Omoluabi Progressives, and former state appointees.

The Nigerian Presidency has refuted a viral document circulating online that claimed President Bola Tinubu turned down an invitation for a working visit to the White House, citing domestic issues and challenges with presidential aircraft.

The statement, widely shared on social media, was branded fake and malicious by the Presidency on Sunday.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, publicly debunked the document through a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

In his reaction, he condemned those behind the disinformation.

“Whoever you are, one day, the law will catch you,” Onanuga warned in a firm post, which included a screenshot of the fabricated document overlaid with the label “FAKE NEWS ALERT.”

The falsified release, appearing to be an official “State House Statement,” falsely claimed that President Tinubu declined a White House invitation, citing “critical domestic priorities” and “logistical constraints, including the unsustainability of presidential aircraft for long-distance travel.”

The bogus statement also falsely bore Onanuga’s name and title, portraying him as its author.

However, Onanuga categorically denied any connection to the release, stressing that it was entirely fabricated.

He clarified that no such invitation or response had been issued by either the Nigerian government or the U.S. administration.

According to the false memo, “the Nigerian government remains committed to fostering strong bilateral relations with the United States and looks forward to future opportunities for collaboration.”

The Presidency has urged the public to disregard the fake release and remain cautious of disinformation spread by what Onanuga described as “disinformation agents, hoax peddlers, fake news propagators, and clickbaiters.”