By Ahmed Dorcas
Following the recent news on the proposed bill mandating compulsory voting in Nigeria, a human rights lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN has expressed strong opposition stating he would rather face imprisonment than comply with such legislation.
According to Sahara Reporters, Agbakoba made his stance about the proposed bill which recently passed second reading in the House of Representatives known during an appearance on Channels TV programme aired on Monday,
“Look at the ridiculous one in the National Assembly about voting being compulsory. If that bill were to pass, I would say, ‘Agbakoba, we will not obey it.’ I’ll plead a conscientious objection. I’d rather go to prison for six months than to obey it,” he said.
He argued that the move to force citizens to vote fails to address the fundamental issues behind Nigeria’s widespread voter apathy.
According to him, many Nigerians have become disengaged from the electoral process due to years of exclusion, broken promises, and lack of visible benefits from governance.
Agbakoba warned that unless Nigeria’s political structure becomes more inclusive and responsive to citizens’ needs, mandatory voting laws will only deepen distrust in the system.
