NewStats: 3,261,512 , 8,174,217 topics. Date: Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 01:20 PM 5q1i60

A bill seeking to make voting compulsory for Nigerians of voting age on Thursday scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.

Titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to Make It Mandatory for All Nigerians of Majority Age to Vote in All National and State Elections and for Related Matters,” the proposed legislation seeks to introduce compulsory voting for eligible Nigerians.

The bill which was first introduced by Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen in February proposes imposing a maximum of six months imprisonment or a fine of no more than N100,000 for Nigerians of voting age who fail to vote during elections.

Presenting the bill during Thursday's plenary session, co-sponsor of the bill and member representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, Daniel Asama, argued that compulsory voting would deepen democracy, strengthen civic engagement, and reduce voter apathy.

According to him, democracy thrives when citizens are actively engaged in the process of selecting their leaders and shaping the direction of governance.

He lamented Nigeria’s persistently low voter turnout, stating that it undermines electoral legitimacy and weakens democratic institutions.

"Voting is not only the right, but a civic responsibility. For global precedents, several democracies including Australia, Belgium and Brazil, for instance, have adopted mandatory voting for the positive outcomes in of political participation and public ability. For electoral apathy and voter inducement, mandatory voting can significantly reduce the influence of vote buying as more citizens vote", the lawmaker argued.

In his contribution, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu ed the bill, saying it a good proposition and a step towards entrenching civic responsibility.

According to him, Nigerians are quick to condemn istrations, but slow to fulfil their civic obligations.

Kalu said: "In other climes that we have travelled to or lived, personally in Australia, it is actually an offence for you not to vote during elections. So it is a good proposition coming out from you and the person that partnered with you to sponsor this bill".

But the member representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, Awaji-Inombek Abiante questioned the bill’s practicality and enforceability.

According to him, “It is not just enough to legislate compulsory voting. How will it be enforced?

"There are people who in this country and they are in Ghana, they are in the US, they are in Australia, they are in London. Who will provide the logistics for them to come? If you say it is compulsory, probably you will deny them a renewal of their ports. So how will they get to my village for instance", Abiante queried.

He warned against imposing penalties in a system still suffering with infrastructural deficits and questioned whether it would be fair to punish citizens who are unable to access polling units due to systemic challenges.

But Kalu, raising a point of order, cautioned
Abiante against irrelevant submissions, stressing that must confine their arguments to the principle of the bill, not its implementation challenges.

"What we are discussing is whether or not it should be mandatory for citizens to participate in elections. When it is time for debate on the budget or economic policies of the country, we can go into all that. What we are talking regards to our electoral laws.

"It is good for Nigeria to show patriotism, that spirit of nationalism, participating in what is going on in your country, not just criticizing", the deputy speaker stated.

Abbas however clarified that there is no law without exemption, assuring that there could be exemption in certain cases.

Another lawmaker, Esset Udo representing Uyo/Uruan/Nsit Atai/Asutan/Ibesikpo Federal Constituency ed the spirit of the bill but expressed skepticism about citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.

He said: "It is a good and wonderful bill. Mandating citizens to vote is not the problem but a situation where citizens have lost confidence in the system. We should also make a law that will make vote count. The last election, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission and his officials gave all sorts of promises but we saw all what happened.

But Kalu shut him againt.

Again, Kalu shut down the comment, saying it as against the rules of the House.

Speaker Abbas, however, acknowledged Udo’s concerns and suggested that compulsory voting could actually help restore public confidence in leadership and governance.

Also speaking, member representing Albasu/Gaya/Ajingi Federal Constituency, Dr. Ghali Mustapha Tijjani described the bill as one of the best and most unique introduced this year.

After an exhaustive debate, the Speaker put the question to a voice vote. Though a section of the chamber shouted “nay” more loudly, Abbas ruled in favour of the “ayes.”

The bill was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Electoral Matters for further legislative action.

https://guardian.ng/news/bill-to-jail-non-voters-scales-second-reading-at-house-of-reps/

It is by force to vote? When will they the death sentence for their own corruption in the NASS? They refused to legislate on electoral reforms but allowed the criminal organization called INEC leeway to be selectively about which parts of the amended electoral acts to obey or not

Now here they are trying in futility to punish citizens who have lost interests in the electoral and democratic processes that Mahmud Yakubu and co have totally destroyed. The most useless criminals to ever ister a nation.

These old fools aren't ing bills on other pressing issues , but they are quick to want to something that's suppose to be an individual's choice.

They want to force people to start voting, but they won't a bill that will hand down death penalty to corrupt politicians. Nigerians need to wake up and take back their country!

For me we don't have the capacity to jail them
Making laws you can't enforce is how u look weak

1) fine them 200k
2) if you miss 3 straight election without voting you would be deed

I wont vote. Let them do whatever they want. The bill will only avoid exposure of rigging like the one in Imo where votes were allocated to those who never voted. A useless bill.

Retrogessive bill. What country in over 200 countries has a law forcing people to vote? How do you enforce it? Has electronic voting been canvassed via a bill?

There has to be punishment for lawmakers who waste the time of of house with mickey mouse bills like this to claim they sponsored a bill.

Dey play

Dem go jail us tire be that

Good

I don't think they even know the next thing to do. Why would they be thinking of jailing people for not voting? During elections, when violence erupts, the police are nowhere to be found, they run. Yet they expect innocent people to risk their lives to vote in an election where the votes won’t even count, just to elect one useless politician. They should be ready to jail millions of people. They better go borrow money to build more correctional centers since the one available won't be enough. Rubbish bill

Lol…we go plenty for the jail fa

Which kain madness be this?😂😂😂😂

Shameless people. Public hearing go bring am down. All una children must come back and vote without security personnel around then.

You need to first bills to amend and overhaul the existing wapped electoral law to encourage people to vote knowing that their vote would count.



Make realtime polling unit result on irev a compulsory part of election collation in Nigeria.


Make Presidential, Governorship and LGA Chairman election same day.

Senate, House of Reps, State House of Assembly and LGA Councilors same day.


Any politician that wins an elected position under a particular party must leave the office vacant if he decides to decamp to another party so that the party will conduct a fresh election to replace the decamped elected person. You are free to decamp to any party but as soon as you win election under any party, you cannot decamp to another party with that party's mandate because people voted the party and not you, unless you won the election as an independent candidate.


Recognize Abuja as the 37th state for national election purpose and stop giving room for judicial ambiguity

Make dem go build prison for all local govt first

Na this bill go cause the revolution
Dey Watch
INEC that’s a fraudulent institution

The bill should be about the provision of incentives to persuade ed voters to vote, considering the following:
Total number of ed voters- 93million
Total number of actual votes. - 25million
The difference is 68million. How many correctional facilities can accommodate and feed 68million people which does not even include number of adults who did not to vote.

It is now by force abi?

It seems that the assigned 8m votes the other time seemed too shameful.

Adblg0610:
The bill should be about the provision of incentives to persuade ed voters to vote, considering the following:
Total number of ed voters- 93million
Total number of actual votes. - 25million
The difference is 68million. How many correctional facilities can accommodate and feed 68million people which does not even include number of adults who did not to vote.

The only incentives votes need for them to be free to vote without any form of intimidation and also for their votes to count, fullstop.

Jashub:
These old fools aren't ing bills on other pressing issues , but they are quick to want to something that's suppose to be an individual's choice.

They didn't think that they should start from the Senate where voice vote should be removed and every vote can be counted electronically. If they can get that right, Nigerians EVERYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD will vote from the comfort of their homes and we will see the results immediately. It's not rocket science but they know what we know they know but they are pretending like we don't know.

SmartPolician:
They want to force people to start voting, but they won't a bill that will hand down death penalty to corrupt politicians. Nigerians need to wake up and take back their country!

Are you not a Nigerian? Why you still sleeping and not awake yet to take back the country?

Rubbish polithiefians

If the punishment for breaking a law is a fine, then the law is targeted at the poor.

Lol..

Bunch of confused and morally bankrupt people.....always on the beat for useless bills.

chinchum:
Retrogessive bill. What country in over 200 countries has a law forcing people to vote? How do you enforce it? Has electronic voting been canvassed via a bill?

There has to be punishment for lawmakers who waste the time of of house with mickey mouse bills like this to claim they sponsored a bill.

Australia has a compulsory voting law as do several other countries including Brazil and Argentina

Some African countries like Egypt have a compulsory voting law on the books, though not enforced as it should be

Nawa o

Madness
For the vote that will not count 🤷

Forcing useless laws on innocent people why their own children were busy snapping pictures with oyibo pussy up and down 🤭

To vote or not to vote is a civil right and never a criminal offence.
What about a bill to jail those who rig elections?