The House of Representatives has moved forward with a bill that would make voting compulsory for all eligible Nigerians in national and state elections.
The bill, sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and lawmaker Daniel Asama Ago, seeks to reduce voter apathy and boost public participation in elections. During Thursday’s plenary, Ago said mandatory voting could restore trust in the system and limit vote buying.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu supported the bill, pointing to countries like Australia where similar laws have improved voter turnout.
However, some lawmakers raised concerns about poor trust in the electoral system and problems with the voters register. They questioned how the policy could work without fixing these issues first.
The bill will now move to the committee stage for more review.
