A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has strongly criticised a proposed bill that seeks to make voting compulsory for Nigerians and warned that such legislation would violate constitutionally guaranteed freedoms in the country.
The bill, sponsored by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, proposes punitive measures, including a six-month jail term or a fine of N100,000, for eligible voters who fail to participate in elections.
Abbas also argued that the initiative aims to boost civic participation and address the persistent problem of low voter turnout in Nigeria.
However, Falana, in a statement released Monday, urged the lawmakers to reconsider the bill because it is incompatible with key provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
He said: “I doubt that the speaker and his colleagues paid sufficient attention to the relevant provisions of the constitution.
