The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has slammed the National Assembly for a proposed bill that would make voting mandatory and imprison Nigerians who fail to vote.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, NANS’ National Vice President for Inter-Campus and Gender Affairs, Akinbodunse Felicia, described the bill as not only “ridiculous but laughable”, urging the NASS to abandon the ludicrous idea or face the wrath of Nigerian students.
The NASS has submitted a new law, titled ‘Law 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’.
If passed, the law would make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians, marking a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s electoral environment.
The proposed measure aims to change the present Electoral Act of 2022 by requiring mandatory participation in national and state elections.
It recommends that any qualified voter who fails to vote without a justifiable reason suffer a punishment, such as a N100,000 fine, a six-month jail sentence, or both.
According to NASS, the law, which has stirred heated debate across the country, intends to address voter apathy, a recurrent issue in Nigerian elections, as well as promote citizen involvement in the democratic process.
Since the House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, sponsored the measure, it has aroused worries regarding the implementation of sanctions for non-participation.
However, in the statement, Akinbodunse stated that the proposed measure is a misplaced priority by the NASS and should be abandoned.
She went on to say that voting, which is a constitutional right for eligible Nigerians, cannot be imposed on them, especially if they believe their ballots are invalid.
She pointed out that rather than presenting bills to strengthen the election process and truly reflect Nigerians’ preferences, the NASS has been busy strangling Nigerians by proposing punitive measures against non-voters.
Akinbodunse, who vowed that NANS will mobilise massively against the bill, asked civil society, organised labour, and other stakeholders to oppose the proposed measure, which she termed a “low one from the National Assembly”.
“NANS views the proposed bill by the National Assembly to impose a fine and a jail term on eligible Nigerians who do not vote as not only ridiculous but laughable.
“The bill, if it is passed, will make Nigeria a laughing stock among the comity of nations in the world. Where in the world does a nonparticipant in an election get jailed or fined?
“It is unfortunate that NASS, which is saddled with the constitutional responsibility and duties to make laws that will ensure the development of the nation and protect the citizens, is the one proposing a bill capable of strangulating the same people.
“Instead of the NASS to make laws that will strengthen our democracy and enhance the electoral processes, it has busied itself to pass a bill that will infringe on the rights of Nigerians.
“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.
“This is the area NANS expects the National Assembly to work on. Rather, it has continued to make Nigerians doubt the competence and sincerity of members of both the Senate and House of Reps.
“This proposed bill is another comedy show from the stable of the NASS. As an umbrella for the students in the country, NANS will mobilise massively against this proposed bill aimed at imposing a needless law on Nigerians.
“NANS leadership hereby urges civil society groups, stakeholders and organised labour to rise against this latest charade by the National Assembly,” the statement stated.
