From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate has passed the Electoral Act (Amendment) (Early Voting) Bill, 2024, through its second reading.
The bill seeks to introduce early voting for certain categories of Nigerians, including election officials, security personnel, journalists, and observers.
Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill on Wednesday, 12 March 2025, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua (APC, Katsina Central), who sponsored the legislation, emphasised that the proposed amendment aims to address the long-standing disenfranchisement affecting over one million citizens who work on election day but are unable to vote.
‘It is ironic that those who play critical roles in ensuring free, fair, and credible elections are denied their own right to vote. This bill seeks to correct that by making provisions for early voting,’ Yar’adua said.
He noted that Nigeria’s voter turnout has declined over the past three election cycles—from 43.7% in 2015 to 34.7% in 2019 and 27.1% in 2023—attributing part of this decline to the exclusion of election-day workers, including 310,973 police personnel, 93,495 military and DSS officers, 51,000 personnel from the NSCDC, 21,000 from the FRSC, 11,336 from the Nigerian Correctional Service, 9,447 from the NDLEA, 350 from the EFCC, and 144,800 accredited election observers.
‘The number of those excluded from voting could significantly influence election results. As lawmakers, it is our duty to ensure that every eligible Nigerian, regardless of their occupation, has the opportunity to vote,’ he argued.
The bill introduces a structured early voting system and mandates INEC to compile a list of registered early voters, including security personnel, electoral officials, and other eligible individuals. It specifies that those seeking early voting must apply at least 30 days before the election, while early voting will take place no more than seven days before the general election at designated voting centres across all wards. It also states that early votes will be counted on election day to prevent undue influence on the outcome.
Yar’adua highlighted successful early voting models in the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Ghana, South Africa, Namibia, and Senegal, stressing their positive impact on electoral efficiency and voter turnout.
‘Countries that have implemented early voting tend to have higher voter participation. Ghana recorded 79% voter turnout in 2020, Sierra Leone 84% in 2018, and Liberia 75% in 2017. Nigeria must follow suit to enhance electoral inclusivity and efficiency,’ he stated.
While some lawmakers raised concerns about logistics, security, and cost implications, Yar’adua reassured the Senate that these challenges could be effectively managed.
‘The benefits of early voting far outweigh the initial costs. INEC has the capacity to implement this, and our Electoral Act already provides mechanisms to address possible challenges,’ he said.
The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters for further legislative scrutiny. The committee is expected to submit its report within four weeks.