Proposed House Of Representative Proposal For Compulsory Voting
By Onorakpene Eviosekwofa
Attempts by the members of the House of Representatives to force Nigerians to vote in elections is a monopoly of legislative authority taken too far – it’s a misplacement of legislative responsibility, driven by rascality. The proposed law has the imprimatur of a dictatorial military government in power! The law is an intentional, deliberate attempt to strip Nigerians of the right to freedom of expression.
The bill proposes a six-month imprisonment or a fine of not more than N100, 000 for any registered voter convicted for failing to exercise his or her franchise during national, state and local council polls. Clearly, this is a draconian law that reeks of a military jackboot government. The features of democracy include freedom of assembly, association, personal property, freedom of religion and speech, citizenship, consent of the governed, voting rights, freedom from unwarranted governmental deprivation of the right to life and liberty, and minority rights.
Democratic principles ensure that citizens are encouraged to participate in the political process through voting, advocacy, and other forms of civic engagement, especially with the freedom of expression, which is a right to vote for or refusal to vote for any candidate in an election.
Democracy is based on the principle that the ultimate authority in a society rests with the people. Members of the House of Representatives must take into cognisance, the opposition of Nigerians to this bill.
The bill is jointly sponsored by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and Daniel Asama Ago, is titled: A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act, 2022 to make it Mandatory for Nigerians of Maturity Age to Vote in All National and State Elections and for Related Matters (HB.1930).
No country, not even the most totalitarian country compels its citizens to vote. Voting is a civic responsibility, it is right to vote, compelling people to vote is a violation of their rights. Nigerians, oppose the bill in the House of Representatives seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022, to make voting in all national, state and local council elections compulsory for all eligible Nigerians.
We are all aware and familiar with the events of the 2023 election in Lagos state – where ‘Mama and Papa Okechukwu’ were threatened not to come out to vote – and where they came out to vote, they were attacked and stabbed with broken beer bottles for daring to come out to participate in their constitutionally guaranteed, civic duty of voting in the election. By now, I expected members of the House of Representatives to have concluded an independent investigation into the various infractions deliberately executed by a political party that sponsored thugs on ‘Mama and Papa Okechukwu’ in Lagos! Rather, they are here, huffing and puffing, threatening to send Nigerians to jail for 6 months, for expressing their right to vote or not to vote in elections!
Finally, I call on the members of the House of Representatives to focus on legislating laws that will discourage politicians from hiring thugs to rig, disrupt and manipulate elections. This bill is draconian, it is a deliberate attempt to hound Nigerians into jail. It is a bill that threatens the citizens into participating in elections. The last time I checked, just a few minutes ago, Nigeria still practices a democratic system of government which respects the freedom of expression of citizens.