Yiaga opposes bill to make voting compulsory in Nigeria

Yiaga Africa, an election observation and civic advocacy organisation, has rejected a proposed bill seeking to make voting compulsory for Nigerians of voting age.

The Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, gave the organisation’s position on the bill in a statement on Friday.

The bill, which aims to address low voter turnout in Nigeria, passed its second reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday following extensive deliberation among lawmakers during the plenary.

The proposed legislation, first introduced by Speaker of the House Abbas Tajudeen in February, seeks to criminalise electoral abstention. Under the bill’s provisions, eligible Nigerians who fail to vote during elections could face a penalty of up to six months in prison or a fine not exceeding N100,000.

The co-sponsor of the bill, Daniel Asama, who represents Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, argued during Thursday’s plenary that mandatory voting would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy by increasing civic participation, addressing voter apathy, and enhancing electoral legitimacy.

The bill was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Electoral Matters for further deliberation and public hearing.

The bill has generated widespread debate among citizens over its potential impact on democratic freedoms and human rights.

Yiaga’s position

Yiaga’s executive director argued that although the bill seeks to address low voter turnout, the lawmakers’ approach represents a serious violation of the fundamental rights of Nigerians.

“The said bill is conceived as a legislative intervention to address the abysmally low voter turnout. While the rationale for the bill is plausible because it aims to address one of the biggest challenges in Nigeria’s electoral system, the strong-arm approach adopted by the bill is draconian and it constitutes a gross violation of constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights.

“Indeed, the right to abstain from voting is itself a legitimate form of political expression protected under domestic and international human rights law,” he said.

Mr Itodo emphasised that democracy flourishes in an environment of freedom, which includes the right to choose whether or not to participate in elections.

He warned that imposing punitive sanctions for non-participation contradicts the foundational principles of voluntary democratic engagement.

“Democracy thrives on freedom, which includes the choice to participate or abstain from voting. Compulsory voting undermines this democratic freedom and the punitive sanctions for not voting erode the foundational principles of voluntary democratic engagement.”

Rather than mandating participation, he advocated for addressing the causes of voter apathy, which include distrust in the electoral process, election manipulation and poor governance.

Mr Itodo called on members of the National Assembly to channel their legislative action towards electoral reforms such as ensuring mandatory electronic transmission of results, reviewing the appointment process for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), enabling early voting and diaspora participation and enhancing transparency in election management.

“The bill in its entirety fails to address the drivers of voter apathy, such as distrust in the electoral process, election manipulation and poor governance. Rather than compel voting, the National Assembly should prioritise electoral reforms that rebuild public trust, improve election integrity, and remove structural and systemic barriers to participation.

“These include reforms that guarantee mandatory electronic transmission of results, review the mode of appointments into INEC, early voting, diaspora voting and improved transparency in the management of elections.

“Yiaga Africa believes voter apathy isn’t addressed with imposing punishment for not voting. It can be addressed through trust, electoral justice, and accountability. We therefore urge the National Assembly to reject the proposed and channel its legislative efforts towards passing electoral amendment that expand access to voting, guarantee electoral transparency, and protect the political rights of all Nigerians,” he added.

Trend of voter turnout in Nigeria

Voter turnout in Nigeria has fluctuated significantly over the years, but has maintained a continuous decline in the last three general elections.

Records from Yiaga Africa showed that in 1979, voter turnout stood at 34.6 per cent, increasing slightly to 38.9 per cent in 1983 and reducing to 35 per cent in 1993. A notable increase occurred in 1999 with a turnout of 52.3 per cent, followed by a peak in 2003, when 69.1 per cent of registered voters participated.

READ ALSO: Yiaga Africa applauds Tinubu for requesting INEC RECs removal

However, this upward trend reversed in subsequent elections. In 2007, the turnout reduced to 57.5 per cent, followed by 53.7 per cent in 2011, 43.7 per cent in 2015, 34.7 per cent in 2019, and a historic low of 27.1 per cent in 2023.

This decline positions Nigeria as the largest democracy in Africa with the lowest voter turnout.