Speaker Abbas drops voting bill, backs voluntary participation

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has formally withdrawn the proposed bill seeking to make voting compulsory in Nigeria, saying future efforts will focus on encouraging not compelling citizen participation in elections.

The decision, according to a statement released Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, follows “extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders.”

The bill, co-sponsored with Hon. Daniel Adama Ago, had sought to amend the Electoral Act 2022 by mandating voting for all eligible Nigerians.

Speaker Abbas explained that while the intention behind the bill was to deepen democratic participation by increasing voter turnout, public feedback made it clear that enforcement-based approaches may not align with the values of individual freedom and civic choice.

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“Compulsory voting has worked in countries like Australia, Belgium, and Brazil, where it sustains over 90% voter turnout,” he said, referencing global models. “But in Nigeria, any democratic reform must respect personal liberties and reflect our unique sociopolitical landscape.”

Rather than force compliance, Abbas said he will now champion strategies that create incentives and remove barriers to voting.

“We must make the electoral process more appealing, inclusive, and accessible, especially to the youth and marginalized communities,” he noted.

With the bill officially off the table, the Speaker emphasized that the withdrawal paves the way for broader dialogue on fostering a culture of voluntary civic engagement in Nigeria’s democracy.