● Says committed to making voting more attractive and accessible to all Nigerians
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, bowed to pressure and has finally withdrawn the controversial Mandatory Voting Bill
Abbas said in a statememt issued by his media adviser, Musa Abdullahi Krishi , that he withdrew the Bill following extensive consultation with critical stakehokders.
He said he was committed to exploring positive incentives and innovative approaches to make voting more attractive and accessible to all Nigerians
The Bill, which is to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 and make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians, was co-sponsored with Hon. Daniel Asama Ago.
Sponsors ọf the Bill said the intention tọ promote the Bill and make a law tọ ensure that Nigerians from age 18 and above vote during election was to fulfil their national civic duty and stop voter apathy
The Bill prescribes a 6-month jail term and an option ọf N100,000 fine upon conviction
However, defending the withdrawal ọf the Bill, the speaker noted that: “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.”
He explained that Compulsory voting had long been practised with notable success in countries like Australia, Belgium and Brazil, where it had helped sustain participation rates above 90 per cent, while nations like Argentina and Singapore had also implemented similar measures to foster inclusivity at the ballot box.
He, nevertheless, acknowledged that lawmaking was ultimately about the people it served, and that any reform must respect individual freedoms and public sentiments.
Speaker Abbas admitted that rather than compel participation, he was committed to exploring positive incentives and innovative approaches that would 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” he said
The statement reads is reproduced in extenso hereunder:
“The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, wishes to inform the public that, following extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, he has 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 Asama Ago.
“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. 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.
“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”
Signed:
Musa Abdullahi Krishi
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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