Coercing Nigerians to vote during elections unconstitutional – NNPP chieftain

A chieftain of New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo has kicked against the move by House of Representatives to make voting during elections compulsory.

Oguntoyinbo maintained the move by the lawmakers to force Nigerians to vote in the elections is unconstitutional.

The NNPP chieftain disclosed his opinion in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Saturday.

Lawmakers at the House of Representatives had introduced “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Electoral Act 2022, to make it mandatory for all Nigerians of majority age to vote in all National and State Elections and for Related Matters.”

But, Oguntoyinbo warned that such a move is an attempt to tamper with the rights of citizens, describing it as a violation of civil liberties and democratic principles.

He warned that the bill was a misplaced priority, insisting that voting during an election is obligatory and not compulsory.

The NNPP chieftain maintained that any attempt to make it compulsory is a violation of the citizens rights.

He siad, “in a democracy, voting is a civil liberty, not a legal obligation, saying compelling citizens to vote through coercive measures infringes on their fundamental rights. The bill is inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.

“Section 39(1) of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to remain silent, dissent, and abstain.

“The bill being introduced by the House of Representatives to make voting compulsory in Nigeria aside being undemocratic is not practicable because, among other things, the country lacks citizen’s data base.

“Adequate citizens’ database is a precursor for a compulsory voting and the House of Representatives, like other Nigerians know that the country lacks adequate database to carry out such enforcement”.