Prominent rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has criticised a proposed bill seeking to make voting compulsory, branding it unconstitutional and unworkable under current laws.
The bill—jointly sponsored by House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Labour Party MP Daniel Asama Ago—proposes jail terms or fines for eligible voters who abstain during national and state polls. Backers argue it would tackle voter apathy and vote-buying, with Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu citing Australia’s model of civic enforcement.
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However, Mr. Falana, in a statement titled ‘Compulsory Voting is Not Enough’, warned the move breaches core provisions of the 1999 Constitution, particularly those protecting privacy, conscience, and freedom of thought.
He maintains that while boosting voter turnout is important, compulsion without legal reform and civic education risks undermining democratic principles.
The bill remains under debate in the National Assembly.
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