The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, to immediately withdraw a bill seeking to impose harsh penalties on eligible Nigerians who fail to vote in national and state elections.
In a letter dated March 29, 2025, SERAP described the proposed legislation as “oppressive” and a clear violation of citizens’ rights under the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights laws.
The bill proposes a six-month jail term or a fine of ₦100,000—or both—for non-voters.
SERAP argued that the measure infringes on citizens’ right to choose whether to participate in elections or not. “The right to vote includes the right not to vote,” the organization stated. “If the right to participation is a right of the citizen, she/he must be free to decide whether or not to exercise it.”
Rather than criminalizing voter apathy, SERAP urged the National Assembly to prioritize electoral reforms. These reforms include:
“Strip state governors and their deputies of constitutional immunity for electoral offenses.
“Propose bills to reduce the influence of money in politics.
“Encourage, rather than compel, citizens to exercise their right to participation.
“Explicitly prohibit the appointment of partisan individuals as Resident Electoral Commissioners.
“Amend voter registration processes through technology and secure voting mechanisms.
SERAP warned that if the bill is passed into law, they would consider taking legal action to challenge its legality and ensure it is never implemented.
The organization emphasized the importance of voluntary participation in democracy, stating that “the idea of compulsory voting and jailing citizens for not voting is impracticable, unnecessary, and unlawful.”
