HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER, AGBAKOBA FAULTS BILL SEEKING COMPULSORY VOTING

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, OLISA AGBAKOBA, has criticised the proposed bill seeking to make voting mandatory in Nigeria, declaring that he would rather be jailed than comply with such a law.

 AGBAKOBA, during an interview, condemned the National Assembly’s attempt to enforce compulsory voting, arguing that it fails to address the root causes of voter apathy in the country.

 He questioned the rationale behind the bill, maintaining  that voter disengagement stems from years of exclusion and unfulfilled political promises, not a lack of civic responsibility.

 The Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act, 2022, seeking to mandate voting for all Nigerians of eligible age in national and state election, has attracted strong criticism, including from another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, FEMI FALANA, who described the move as both unconstitutional and impractical.