The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has withdrawn a bill seeking to make voting compulsory for all eligible Nigerians.
Co-sponsored by Abbas and lawmaker Daniel Asama Ago, the bill aimed to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to enforce mandatory participation in elections as a means of strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.
However, in a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the Speaker said he decided to pull the bill following extensive consultations with citizens, civil society organisations, and other key stakeholders across the country.
“From the outset, the goal was to get more people involved in elections and strengthen democracy by boosting voter turnout,” the statement read. “After listening to public feedback, it has become clear that more dialogue is needed on how best to achieve this.”
