Global Rights, a prominent human rights advocacy group, has raised strong objections to a proposed amendment to Nigeria’s Electoral Act, describing the bill to mandate voting as “undemocratic” and “misguided.”
The bill, currently progressing through the House of Representatives, seeks to compel eligible Nigerians to vote or face stiff penalties, including fines of up to ₦100,000 or six months’ imprisonment.
In a press release signed by its Executive Director, Abiodun Baiyewu, Global Rights said while it supports civic participation and the importance of voting, it firmly rejects coercing citizens under threat of legal punishment.
“We believe in civic participation and the value of voting in a democratic society, but we firmly reject the idea that Nigerians should be forced to vote under threat of punishment,” Baiyewu stated.
According to the rights group, compelling voter participation through punitive measures undermines the core values of democracy.
“This proposal is not just misguided, it is undemocratic. Voting is indeed a civic duty and a vital responsibility in any democracy,” the statement read.
Global Rights emphasized that the government should focus on building public trust and enhancing access to voting rather than criminalizing citizens for not participating in elections.
“Civic duty should be encouraged through public trust, education, and access, not enforced through criminal penalties. In a truly democratic society, participation must be voluntary, meaningful, and inspired by confidence in the system, not compelled by fear of fines or imprisonment,” Baiyewu said.
The organization attributed the low voter turnout in the 2023 general elections—recorded at under 30 percent—not to apathy, but to deep-seated mistrust in Nigeria’s electoral process. It pointed to systemic issues such as electoral violence, vote buying, and disinformation as major deterrents to voter engagement.
“The increasing monetization of politics, the deployment of thugs, and the routine use of incendiary rhetoric and fake news during campaigns have created an environment in which many Nigerians no longer believe elections are fair, safe, or meaningful,” Global Rights observed.
Referencing its recent research report titled Disarming Weapons of Lies and Hate: Countering the Weaponization of Identity-Based Hate and Fake News in Nigeria’s Elections, the group noted that 90.7% of surveyed respondents believed hate speech and fake news have eroded social cohesion, while 67.5% said these factors discouraged them from voting.
Global Rights also criticized the Nigerian judiciary, which it said lacks public trust and is widely viewed as compromised when resolving electoral disputes.
“Many Nigerians also express little faith in the judiciary, which often serves as the final arbiter of election disputes, but is widely perceived as lacking independence,” the statement noted.
The organization urged lawmakers to direct their efforts toward electoral reforms that would inspire citizen confidence and restore credibility to Nigeria’s democracy.
“Rather than criminalizing non-voters, lawmakers should focus on restoring public confidence in the democratic process,” Baiyewu said.
The statement further called for greater inclusivity in governance, urging reforms that empower marginalized groups such as women, persons with disabilities, and the youth, who face systemic barriers to political participation.
Global Rights stressed that genuine democracy can not thrive on coercion, saying, “Democracy must be built on trust, fairness, and freedom, not compulsion.
While the supporters of this legislation have recognized a symptom in the myriad of issues plaguing our democracy, they are hastily prescribing the wrong medication to deal with the symptom but not the disease,” it said.
Furthermore, Baiyewu maintained that Nigeria’s political class must prioritize transparency, accountability, and electoral justice if it truly seeks to increase voter participation.
“If the goal is truly to strengthen participation, the solution lies in fixing the system, not punishing citizens for losing faith in it,” she said.
culled from Daily Times Nigeria
