The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly criticized the National Assembly over a proposed bill seeking to make voting compulsory for all eligible Nigerians, with penalties for non-compliance including fines and imprisonment.
In a statement issued Sunday in Abeokuta by its National Vice President for Inter-Campus and Gender Affairs, Akinbodunse Sileola Felicia, NANS described the proposal as “ridiculous and laughable,” warning lawmakers to abandon the plan or face resistance from Nigerian students.
The controversial bill, titled “A 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 to penalize eligible voters who fail to vote without a valid reason. Offenders could face a fine of N100,000, six months in jail, or both.
Supporters of the bill argue it could address widespread voter apathy and boost civic participation. However, NANS has rejected the bill outright, calling it a misplaced priority and an infringement on citizens’ rights.
“Voting is a constitutional right, not an obligation that can be enforced through coercion,” Akinbodunse stated. “It is absurd to suggest that people should be fined or imprisoned for choosing not to participate in an electoral process they often feel is flawed or predetermined.”
She added that the bill does nothing to address the core issues affecting Nigeria’s elections, including electoral fraud, rigging, and general lack of transparency.
“It is disheartening that the same lawmakers tasked with protecting democratic values are championing legislation that could stifle them. Instead of fixing the glaring problems in the electoral system, the National Assembly is pushing a bill that will only deepen public mistrust,” the statement read.
Akinbodunse warned that NANS would not sit idly by and watch such a bill become law. She announced plans for mass mobilization against the proposal and called on civil society organizations, labour unions, and other stakeholders to resist what she called “a shameful attempt to undermine democratic freedoms.”
“This bill is not just unnecessary—it’s dangerous. NANS will mobilize against it, and we urge all Nigerians to do the same,” she said.
