Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, has withdrawn the bill seeking to make voting compulsory.
The bill was co-sponsored by Abbas and Daniel Ago, lawmaker representing Bassa/Jos north federal constituency of Plateau state.
On May 15, the bill proposing mandatory voting in elections for eligible Nigerians scaled second reading in the green chamber.
Leading the debate, Ago said the proposed legislation seeks to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to tackle the problem of low voter turnout.
He said compulsory voting law would increase civic engagement and voter participation, making electoral involvement a legal obligation rather than a personal choice.
Ago said the bill, if passed into law, would strengthen democracy by improving representation, foster a more politically aware country, and reduce vote buying.
(The Cable)
