The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a significant amendment to the Electoral Act, 2002, aimed at making voting mandatory for all Nigerians of voting age in national and state elections.
The bill, co-sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Hon. Daniel Asama Ago, seeks to boost citizen participation and combat voter apathy.
While leading the debate during Thursday’s plenary session, Hon. Ago (Bassa/Jos North, Labour Party) emphasized that compulsory voting could help curb vote buying and increase electoral engagement across the country.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu supported the proposal, citing global examples such as Australia, where compulsory voting is already in place. However, some lawmakers raised concerns over public distrust in Nigeria’s electoral system and the credibility of the national voters register.
In a separate development, a bill seeking to amend the Labour Act and extend maternity leave for working women from three months to six months was stepped down after a heated debate in the House.
The bill, sponsored by Hon. Chike Okafor (Okigwe South, Imo, APC), faced opposition from several lawmakers, including women, who argued that a longer maternity leave could negatively impact female employment opportunities. They contended that employers may become hesitant to hire women due to extended leave periods.
Meanwhile, the Senate has progressed a critical public health bill through second reading—one that seeks to establish the National Agency for Malaria Eradication (NAME). The proposed agency would lead a national response to combat malaria, a disease responsible for over 184,000 deaths annually in Nigeria.
The bill, championed by Senator Ned Munir Nwoko (Delta North), was first introduced on November 28, 2023, and has been reintroduced with renewed focus amid rising malaria fatalities.
Senator Nwoko, referencing the World Health Organization’s 2024 report, noted that Nigeria bears the highest global burden of malaria deaths, which contribute to 11% of maternal mortality and cause miscarriages, stillbirths, and severe anaemia.
He stressed the urgent need for a coordinated response, stating:
“Malaria is not just a public health issue. It is a structural crisis that hampers productivity and burdens the economy.”
The bill received strong support from senators who emphasized the importance of vaccine procurement and institutional frameworks to reduce the malaria death toll.
The legislation has been forwarded to the Senate Committee on Health, which is expected to report back within four weeks.
