Olisa Agbakoba, a senior advocate for Nigeria and a human rights lawyer, said he would rather be imprisoned than follow the proposed bill’s requirements.
Agbakoba criticized the National Assembly’s attempt to impose compulsory voting in a statement released on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, arguing that it fails to address the root causes of voter apathy in the nation.
“Look at the ridiculous National Assembly voter-requirement apprehension. Agbakoba, we will not obey that bill if it were to pass. Conscientious objection is what I’ll make. He said he would rather not follow the law and spend six months there.
He questioned the justification for the bill, stating, “Why would the National Assembly want to make mandatory voting mandatory? Why don’t they respond to the question and say, “Why are Nigerians not interested? ” What causes the apathy, exactly?
Exclusion, Unfulfilled Promises 
Agbakoba argued that voter disengagement is not a result of a lack of civic responsibility but rather from years of exclusion and unfulfilled political promises.
They don’t get anything, according to Apathy. People will turn out to vote if I know I’m going to get something—there’s an aspiration, there’s an interest. However, the same old trick is then seen by others. You show up, you vote, and you’ll be gone for four more years. He predicted that there would be apathy.
The senior lawyer believes that the country’s democratic failure is at the root of exclusion.
“We currently have a significant issue with a system that excludes,” said. You’ll find that exclusion is the biggest issue facing Nigeria, in my opinion. That is, in my opinion, the biggest issue with exclusion. He noted that no one is participating in the process.
He warned that democracy in Nigeria cannot succeed if it continues to serve only a select elite as he prepared for the 2027 general elections.
“Suddenly, you have a significant issue of coalitions and defections.” Why? Politicians rarely engage in conversation about people’s well-being, suffering, or lack of opportunities. That is not what I’ve heard.
Every four years, politicians jump up and become active, as I’ve heard them say. They vanish once they are in possession. Therefore, “Agbakoba stated, I believe we need to look for a new model.”
Agbakoba reiterated that Nigeria’s political failure is the main factor in the low voter turnout debate, arguing whether the real issue is public office attractiveness and the consistent failure of leadership.
He said, “We’ve had some strong leaders, I must admit. However, overall, the leadership is not very good. Nigerians are not currently where they want to be because of their leadership qualities.
“It’s because of the fact that there is voter disinterest and apathy.” We won’t get this right, therefore, unless we ask ourselves and inquire as to why this lack of interest in voting.
“I can tell you that Nigerians are uninterested because they don’t see anything,” I said. You ought to explore Nigeria. By the way, Lagos is not Nigeria because some residents of this country, like us, believe otherwise.
Bills for Mandatory Voting Face Criticism
The House of Representatives passed the contentious bill, Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act of 2002, for second reading. All Nigerians of eligible age may cast a mandate ballot in state and national elections.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and member of the Labour Party Daniel Asama Ago are both co-sponsoring the bill. Go argued in the plenary on Thursday that mandated voting would reduce voter apathy and encourage voter purchasing, noting that other nations have successfully implemented similar measures like Australia.
The bill was also endorsed by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who called it “a step in the right direction.”
However, Femi Falana, a second senior advocate of Nigeria, who on Monday criticized the measure as unconstitutional and impractical, has received some strong criticism for the legislation.
The proposed law, according to Falana in a statement titled “Compulsory Voting Is Not Enough,” goes against provisions of the 1999 Constitution that protect the freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of conscience.
He stated, “It is doubtful whether the Speaker and his colleagues have given the relevant constitutional provisions enough thought.” Otherwise, they would have realized that compulsory voting violates Sections 37, 38, 77 (2), 135 (3), and 178(5) of the Constitution in every way.
He warned that if mandatory voting were to be implemented, it would be unlawful.
Source: Channels TV
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