House of Reps' Bill seeking mandatory election participation for eligible Nigerians passes second reading

The House of Representatives has passed the second reading of a bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians.

The bill, jointly sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Daniel Ago, was presented during Thursday’s plenary.

Ago while leading the debate on the bill explained that it will boost citizens’ participation in the polls.

The lawmaker added that the bill will also assist addressing the voter apathy if it successfully passes all legislative stages.

However, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party representing Akwa Ibom State, Mark Esset, expressed his reservations on the bill.

Easter argued that merely mandating citizens to vote would not be sufficient to reform the electoral system.

According to him, the voter apathy will continue until there is credibility in the electoral process in Nigeria.

“We shouldn’t build on a shaky foundation,” Esset stated.

“Many Nigerians abstain from voting because they doubt the credibility of the process. If we’re going to make voting compulsory, we must also ensure that people believe their votes truly count,” he added.