Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olisa Agbakoba, has strongly criticised a proposed bill seeking to make voting mandatory in Nigeria, saying he would rather be imprisoned than comply with such legislation. Speaking in an interview monitored by Radio Now’s Newsdesk, Mr Agbakoba said the National Assembly was failing to address the underlying causes of voter apathy.
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He questioned the rationale behind enforcing compulsory voting, urging lawmakers to instead investigate why citizens are reluctant to participate in elections. Mr Agbakoba argued that many Nigerians have lost trust in the political process. According to him, people would be more inclined to vote if there were real opportunities and clear benefits attached to participation.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the former Nigerian Bar Association President warned that the country’s democracy risks collapse if it continues to serve only a privileged few. He identified exclusion as a key obstacle to democratic progress in Nigeria.
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