House of Representatives Speaker Rt. Abbas Tajudeen claims to have retracted the contentious Compulsory Voting Bill.
Musa Abdullahi Krishi, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, said Monday that the Speaker had “decided to withdraw the Bill to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians, which he co-sponsored with Hon. Daniel Adama Ago, after extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders.”The Bill was introduced with the best of intentions, he said, “to bolster civic engagement and strengthen our democracy by encouraging higher voter turnout.”
“Countries like Australia, Belgium, and Brazil have long used compulsory voting with remarkable success, maintaining participation rates above 90%. Other countries like Argentina and Singapore have also adopted comparable policies to promote inclusivity at the voting booth.” Speaker Abbas recognized that the people are at the center of the legislative process and that any reform must respect popular opinion and individual liberties.
He stated that instead of forcing people to vote, he was dedicated to investigating constructive incentives and creative strategies that would increase voting’s appeal and accessibility for all Nigerians.
“This withdrawal will give us more time to discuss how to best foster a culture of voluntary participation that respects our democratic values and our citizens’ rights,” he continued.
