A bill proposing mandatory voting in elections for qualified Nigerians has scaled second reading at the house of representative.
The bill, which is sponsored by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house, passed the second reading stage after an extensive debate on Thursday.
According to the provisions of the Bill which was sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, and titled, “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,” every Nigerian who has attained the age of 18 and above must by law vote in the elections. If it passes, the Bill will amend certain sections of the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all Nigerians of eligible age.
The Bill seeks alteration of Sections 9, 10, 12 and 47 of the Electoral Act 2022, and prescribes penalty for any Nigerian of voting age who fails to cast his/her ballot in elections; it also seeks to mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to compile a voter register having names of all Nigerians who are 18 years and above and are, thus, eligible to vote in elections whereas the Electoral Act 2022 in Section 9 requires INEC to compile, maintain, and update on a continuous basis, a voter register bearing names of all persons “(a) entitled to vote in any federal, state, local government or Federal Capital Territory area council election.”
The proposed Bill seeks to alter the clause to stipulate persons “(a) who have attained the majority age of 18 and are entitled to vote in any federal, state, local government or Federal Capital Territory Area Council election.” And in its explanatory memorandum, it was stated that the Bill is aimed at addressing “large-scale apathy towards performing a vital civic duty in electing Nigerian leaders as the percentage of registered voters that present themselves for actual voting is abysmally low and requires parliamentary attention.”
It further seeks the addition of a new sub-section (4) to Section 47 that will provide as follows: “(a) It shall be mandatory for all registered voters who have attained the majority age of 18 and above to vote in all national and state elections; (b) A person who has attained the majority age of 18 years who refuses to perform his civic duty to vote commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not more than N100,000 or imprisonment for a term not more than six months.”
The proposed amendments stipulate that voting is not just a right but a mandatory civic duty for all eligible Nigerians. Under the new Bill, citizens who fail to vote without providing a valid reason could face penalties of up to ₦100,000, six months of imprisonment or both.
And according to those in support of the Bill, making voting mandatory is essential for the health of Nigeria’s democracy as high voter turnout is crucial to reflect this diversity in governance and policymaking and mandatory voting is expected to mitigate the effects of apathy and disengagement that have plagued past elections.
The Bill’s proponents argue that civic responsibility in a functioning democracy is important as voting is not just an exercise of individual choice but an essential mechanism for the public to express their preferences and hold leaders accountable, adding that by imposing penalties for noncompliance, the government aims to underscore that participating in elections is not merely optional but a crucial part of being an active citizen.
And while the Bill comes with stringent penalties for those who choose to abstain from voting without valid reasons, including fines and potential imprisonment, it has garnered support as well as criticisms from various quarters; critics argue that mandatory voting infringes on individual freedoms and could lead to an increase in disillusionment with the electoral process while the penalties might disproportionately affect lower-income citizens who could struggle to pay fines or face jail term for non-compliance.
There is also the question of what constitutes a “valid reason” for not voting and whether it will encompass legitimate concerns such as illness, financial constraints or disenfranchisement and whether there will be streamlined guidelines to ensure that no citizen is unjustly penalised.
A major cause of voter apathy identified by experts is trust issues; it is believed that many Nigerians don’t vote out of frustration and not laziness because there is general belief that the electoral process is rigged and their vote won’t make a difference. Consequently, they think forcing participation in a process people don’t trust is like adding fuel to fire.
