A bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting compulsory for eligible Nigerians has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

Sponsored by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and Daniel Ago, the proposed legislation aims to boost citizen participation in elections. During Thursday’s plenary, Ago argued that the bill would address voter apathy. He said the measure “aimed to encourage citizens’ participation in the electoral process,” and insisted that low voter turnout would improve if the bill succeeds.

However, concerns were raised about the bill’s impact on the overall electoral system. Mark Esset, a Peoples Democratic Party member from Akwa Ibom State, said compulsory voting alone would not restore faith in the process.

“Let us not put something on nothing. If citizens have lost confidence in the electoral system, there is a lot of work to be done,” he said.

“Many Nigerians do not vote during elections because they believe that their votes will not count. If we must make a law to make voting compulsory, we must also make another one to make their votes count.”