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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned a proposed National Assembly bill to make voting mandatory, imposing fines or jail terms on non-voters.
In a statement on Sunday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, NANS National Vice President for Inter-Campus and Gender Affairs, Akinbodunse Sileola Felicia, called the bill “ridiculous” and “laughable”, urging lawmakers to abandon it or face student protests.
Titled ‘Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to Make It Mandatory for All Nigerians of Majority Age to Vote in All National and State Elections and for Related Matters’, the bill seeks to enforce voting for all eligible Nigerians. It proposes a ₦100,000 fine, six-month imprisonment, or both for those who fail to vote without valid reasons, aiming to curb voter apathy.
Introduced by House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the bill has sparked nationwide debate. Akinbodunse argued it is a misplaced priority, stating, “Voting is a constitutional right of Nigerians who are eligible to vote, cannot be imposed on them, particularly when they strongly feel their votes don’t actually count.”
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She criticised the Assembly for ignoring electoral flaws, saying, “It is known by Nigerians that the country’s electoral processes are still fraught with irregularities and loopholes that give room for electoral fraud and rigging.”
NANS vowed to mobilise against the bill, with Akinbodunse calling it a “comedy show” that could make Nigeria a global laughingstock. “Where in the world does a non-participant in an election be jailed or fined?” she asked.
“It is unfortunate that NASS, which is saddled with the constitutional responsibility and duties to make laws that will ensure development of the nation and protect the citizens, is the one proposing a bill capable of strangulating the same people.”
She urged civil societies, organised labour, and stakeholders to oppose the bill, declaring, “NANS leadership hereby urges civil society groups, stakeholders and organised labour to rise against this latest charade by the National Assembly.”
