The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has officially withdrawn the proposed Compulsory Voting Bill, which sought to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians.
In a statement issued Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the Speaker said the decision followed extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders.
The bill, co-sponsored by Hon. Daniel Adama Ago, was originally introduced to promote civic engagement and boost voter turnout. Abbas noted that similar laws have been successful in countries such as Australia, Belgium, and Brazil, where voter participation often exceeds 90 percent.
However, the Speaker emphasized that legislative reforms must align with public sentiment and uphold individual freedoms, acknowledging that the democratic process should be guided by the will of the people.
