A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has rejected the proposed bill by the House of Representatives seeking to make voting in national and state elections mandatory for all eligible Nigerians.
In a statement made available to Newsmen on Saturday, Oguntoyinbo described the bill as unconstitutional and a blatant infringement on the civil liberties of citizens.
The House of Representatives recently introduced “A 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.”
Reacting to the development, Oguntoyinbo said, “In a democracy, voting is a civil liberty, not a legal obligation. Compelling citizens to vote through coercive measures infringes on their fundamental rights. The bill is inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.”
He pointed to Section 39(1) of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, including the right to remain silent, dissent, and abstain.
The NNPP chieftain further described the move as a “misplaced priority,” arguing that the country currently lacks the necessary infrastructure to enforce compulsory voting.
“The bill being introduced by the House of Representatives to make voting compulsory in Nigeria is not only undemocratic but also impracticable because, among other things, the country lacks a comprehensive citizens’ database,” he said.
Oguntoyinbo stressed that without an adequate and reliable database of eligible voters, enforcing mandatory participation in elections would be impossible and chaotic.
He urged lawmakers to instead focus on reforms that would encourage voter participation through civic education, electoral transparency, and trust-building rather than coercion.
“This is not the way to deepen democracy. Citizens should be motivated to vote, not forced,” he added.
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