Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has firmly opposed a proposed bill seeking to make voting mandatory for Nigerians, calling it both unconstitutional and impractical under the current legal system.
The bill, jointly sponsored by Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and Labour Party lawmaker Daniel Asama Ago, proposes amending the Electoral Act to impose penalties on eligible voters who fail to participate in elections. The penalties include a six-month jail term or a N100,000 fine.
During Thursday’s plenary, Ago, who represents Bassa/Jos North, argued that compulsory voting could help reduce voter apathy and vote-buying. He pointed to Australia’s model, where similar laws have reportedly strengthened civic participation. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu backed the bill, aligning with Ago’s views.
But Falana, in a statement released Monday titled ‘Compulsory Voting is Not Enough’, described the bill as legally flawed. According to him, compelling citizens to vote without first addressing systemic issues like electoral credibility, security, and access to polling units ignores the realities of Nigeria’s democratic process.
He stressed that under the Nigerian Constitution, participation in elections is a right—not an obligation that should attract punishment.
