National Assembly Considers Compulsory Voting Bill

A bill seeking to amend the 2002 Electoral Act, to make voting compulsory for all adults has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

The proposed legislation, jointly sponsored by Speaker of the House Tajudeen Abbas and Labour Party lawmaker Daniel Asama Ago, aims to boost civic engagement and tackle voter apathy during national and state elections.

Leading the debate on the floor of the House on Thursday, May 15, Ago, who represents Bassa/Jos North, argued that compulsory voting could help curb the practice of vote buying and strengthen the democratic process.

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“This bill is about strengthening participation,” Ago said. “We believe that if citizens are required by law to vote, it will help restore faith in the electoral process.”

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu also backed the bill, describing it as “a step in the right direction”. He pointed to countries such as Australia where mandatory voting is already in effect.

However, not all lawmakers were convinced. Some expressed concerns about the feasibility of enforcing such a law in a country where many citizens have lost trust in the electoral system. Others questioned the integrity of the current voters register and whether it could support such a mandate.

The bill will now proceed to Committee stage for further scrutiny.