Speaker withdraws 2nd bill in 9 months

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has withdrawn a controversial bill seeking to make voting compulsory for eligible Nigerians—his second legislative U-turn in nine months following public backlash over bills widely criticised as undemocratic. This latest withdrawal comes after fierce opposition from civil society organisations, legal experts, and the public, who described […]

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has withdrawn a controversial bill seeking to make voting compulsory for eligible Nigerians—his second legislative U-turn in nine months following public backlash over bills widely criticised as undemocratic.

This latest withdrawal comes after fierce opposition from civil society organisations, legal experts, and the public, who described the proposed law as unconstitutional and impractical. 

The bill sought to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to impose a six-month jail term or a fine of N100,000 on any registered voter who fails to cast their ballot in national, state or local elections.

Daily Trust reports that the bill, co-sponsored by Abbas and Daniel Asama Ago, had passed second reading on May 15. Officially titled A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act, 2022 to make it Mandatory for Nigerians of Maturity Age to Vote in All National and State Elections and for Related Matters (HB.1930), it was intended to boost civic engagement and voter turnout, which have been historically low in Nigeria.

However, the Speaker announced its withdrawal Sunday night through a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, citing “extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders.”

“From the outset, the bill was introduced with the best of intentions… Nevertheless, the Speaker acknowledges that lawmaking is ultimately about the people it serves, and that any reform must respect individual freedoms and public sentiment,” the statement read.

The Speaker added that he would now pursue “positive incentives and innovative approaches” to encourage higher voter participation without resorting to compulsion.

The proposed legislation had faced widespread condemnation from legal and civil rights advocates. 

Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, had described the bill as “unconstitutional,” arguing it infringed on citizens’ rights to privacy, freedom of conscience, and freedom of expression as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution.

Other critical voices included Yiaga Africa, CISLAC and CHRICED, which warned that the bill amounted to criminalising a fundamental right. Yiaga Africa, in a statement by its Executive Director, Samson Itodo, said: “Making voting a legal obligation punishable by sanctions would have undermined the very foundations of our democracy.”

While acknowledging the intention to reverse Nigeria’s low voter turnout—under 30 per cent in the 2023 general election—Itodo stressed the need for reforms that remove systemic barriers to participation rather than impose penalties.

“We reiterate our call on the National Assembly to prioritise electoral reforms that rebuild public trust, improve election integrity, and remove structural and systemic barriers to participation,” Itodo added.

The group recommended reforms such as early voting for election workers, mandatory electronic transmission of results, and establishing an Electoral Offences Commission.

 

The U-turn

The latest U-turn marks the second time Speaker Abbas has backtracked on a controversial bill he personally sponsored.

In August 2024, he withdrew the Counter Subversion and Other Related Offences Bill (HB.1652) which sought to criminalise refusal to sing the reintroduced national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.” The bill, introduced on July 23, proposed a 10-year jail term for defaulters and was met with swift outrage from Nigerians.

The move came barely two months after the National Assembly passed the National Anthem Bill 2024, which reverted the country to the old anthem championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and signed into law on May 29—his administration’s first anniversary.

Many critics described the anthem reversal as misplaced, arguing it offered no solution to the country’s pressing economic and security crises. Prominent Nigerians, including former minister Oby Ezekwesili and activist Aisha Yesufu, denounced the proposal to criminalise dissent over the anthem as authoritarian and unnecessary.

Announcing the bill’s withdrawal at that time, Abbas’s spokesman said the Speaker “has always prioritised listening to the citizens and fostering unity,” and would not support legislation that could “disrupt the peace and unity of our nation.”

 

Experts call for better legislative process

The two controversial bills and their eventual withdrawals have reignited debate over the quality of legislative agenda-setting at the National Assembly, especially from its leadership.

Speaking with Daily Trust, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, welcomed the withdrawals but expressed concern over the trend.

“First and foremost, we salute him for withdrawing this funny bill, which had no meaningful basis,” Rafsanjani said. “Legislators are elected to make laws that promote good governance, national development and democratic progress—not laws that drag us backward.”

He warned against what he called a growing culture of symbolic or controversial proposals without substance. “The business of lawmaking is serious. It’s not about bringing bills for the sake of attention. Our lawmakers should focus on what truly matters to Nigerians.”

Rafsanjani urged the Speaker and other lawmakers to focus on critical issues like constitutional amendments, electoral reforms, economic legislation, and national stability. He also stressed the importance of broader stakeholder engagement.

“If the Speaker had consulted with civil society groups or his constituents before presenting the bill, he would have known the backlash it would generate. Engagement is key,” he said.

Political analyst and senior lecturer at Bayero University Kano, Dr Aminu Hayatu, echoed similar concerns, warning that bypassing public consultation could erode trust in both the legislature and the policies it produces.

“In a democracy, when either the executive or the legislature proposes a policy that could significantly impact the public, the first step should always be to build trust,” Dr Hayatu said. “This isn’t a codified rule, but it’s a time-tested strategy.”

He explained that this trust-building often begins informally through what political insiders refer to as a “whispering campaign”—a subtle method of gauging public sentiment before formalising a legislative proposal.

“It’s about floating the idea quietly—through back channels, small gatherings, or respected community influencers. The goal is simple: listen before you legislate,” he said. “If the initial feedback is positive—if people are open to the idea or at least willing to engage with it—then lawmakers know they have some ground to move forward. By the time the bill reaches the floor, public support is already partially secured.”

Hayatu cautioned that when this process is bypassed and legislation appears abruptly, it often sparks backlash.

“It sends the wrong signal. It creates the impression that leaders are either unprepared or disconnected from the people’s real concerns,” he said.

He added that “This is why, in functional democracies, the conversation around potential laws starts long before they reach the chambers of the National Assembly. Sometimes it happens at policy conferences, town halls, or through the media—spaces where citizens from across the country can contribute meaningfully to national discourse.”

While the Speaker’s withdrawal of the voting bill may have defused immediate tensions, civil society groups say the episode reveals a broader need for strategic, people-centred electoral reforms.

Yiaga Africa’s Itodo noted that genuine reforms must go beyond symbolic gestures or legal compulsion. 

“To address low voter turnout, we must tackle root causes like insecurity, voter suppression, disenfranchisement, and lack of trust in the electoral system,” he said.