The Nigerian House of Representatives has cleared the second reading of a bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022 by making voting compulsory for all eligible voters in the country.
Sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Representative Daniel Ago, the bill aims to tackle voter apathy by encouraging greater participation in elections. Speaking during Thursday’s session, Ago noted that the legislation is intended to motivate citizens to be more engaged in the electoral process.
However, opposition came from Mark Esset of the Peoples Democratic Party representing Akwa Ibom State, who cautioned that passing such a law alone would not solve fundamental problems within the electoral system.
Esset remarked, “Passing a law to enforce voting is not enough if the public lacks trust in the system. Many Nigerians abstain from voting because they believe their votes have no impact. If compulsory voting is introduced, it should be accompanied by reforms that guarantee the value of every vote.”
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