Abbas Tajudeen, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has withdrawn a bill that would have required all eligible Nigerians to vote.
He and Daniel Asama Ago co-sponsored the bill, which aimed to amend the Electoral Act 2022 in order to boost democracy and encourage more people to cast ballots.
His media assistant, Musa Krishi, said in a statement on Monday that the decision to withdraw the law was made after consulting with numerous individuals and organizations across.
“From the start, the goal was to get more people involved in elections and strengthen democracy by boosting voter turnout,” the statement stated. Despite sparking controversy, the bill cleared second reading in the House on Thursday.
While some argued that it would increase voter turnout, others warned it would restrict personal freedom and be difficult to implement in a nation as diverse as Nigeria.
However, Abbas emphasized that Nigeria must develop its own approach that works for its people, pointing out that nations like Australia, Belgium, and Brazil enjoy high voter turnout because of mandatory voting.
“Lawmaking is about serving the people, and any new law must respect personal freedom,” Abbas remarked.
He stated that the government would now seek to promote voting, particularly among youth and first-time voters, rather than imposing voting requirements.
He continued, “This withdrawal gives us time to talk more about how to build a culture of voluntary voting that supports our democracy and respects citizens’ rights.”
In their opposition to the law, many Nigerians urged politicians to concentrate on resolving issues that prevent people from voting, including as electoral violence, a lack of faith in the system, and inadequate preparation on election days.
