The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly criticized the National Assembly over a proposed bill that would make voting mandatory and impose penalties on those who fail to vote.
The bill, 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,” proposes fines of N100,000, six months in jail, or both for eligible voters who don’t cast their ballots without valid reasons.
NANS viewed the proposed bill as “ridiculous and laughable,” arguing that voting is a constitutional right, not an obligation that can be enforced through coercion.
According to NANS, the bill does nothing to address the core issues affecting Nigeria’s elections, including electoral fraud, rigging, and general lack of transparency.
Instead of passing this bill, NANS said it expected the National Assembly to work on fixing the electoral system’s loopholes and irregularities.
The student body has vowed to mobilize massively against the proposed bill and urged civil societies, organized labor, and other stakeholders to resist this legislation.
NANS believed that punishing non-voters would be unjust and that the National Assembly should prioritize strengthening the democratic process rather than imposing penalties on citizens.