By Redaction ARPS Media with Agencies
Nigeria has dropped a controversial plan to make voting mandatory. The bill proposed a six-month jail term or a $63 fine for people who didn’t vote.
This decision came after lawyers and rights groups expressed their concerns. Voter turnout in recent Nigerian elections has declined, with only 27 percent participating in the 2023 presidential election.
Abbas Tajudeen, one of the bill’s sponsors, believed it would increase civic engagement. However, critics said that mandatory voting would harm the fairness of free elections and be hard to enforce. About 20 countries around the world have laws that require voting.
