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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Chairperson of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas “to immediately withdraw the oppressive bill that contains repressive provisions to be imprisoned by Nigeria who failed in the national election and/or imposed a fine of N100,000 to them if they failed to fail.
Absorbing urged Mr. Akpabio and Mr. Abbas instead “Change the 1999 Nigerian Constitution [as amended] And the 2022 Election Law to erase constitutional immunity for the state governor and their representatives who committed election violations, including the purchase of votes, to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators. “
Absorbing also urged Akpabio and Abbas “to change the Nigerian constitution and the Election Law to explicitly prohibit the appointment of any political party members as Commissioners of the Population Election (REC) from the Independent National Election Commission (INEC).”
Currently there is in the National Assembly ‘Bill for an action to change the 2022 Election Law to require all Nigerians from the majority age to vote in all national and state elections and for related matters.’ This bill is trying to make a vote and determine a six -month prison sentence or a fine of N100,000 or both for non -compliance.
In the letter dated March 29, 2025 and signed by the Deputy Director of Collawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Nigerian imprisonment is eligible because it decides not to vote will be fully inconsistent and not in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
Serap said, “Instead of proposing a bill that will greatly punish Nigerians who might decide not to use their right to vote, the national assembly must propose a bill to erase constitutional immunity for the governor and their representatives who violate the election and damage the integrity of the election process.”
According to absorption, “The most effective way to resolve the apathetic eternal voters is to create a safe and conducive environment, combat high politician impunity who committed election violations, and generally enhance the election process to encourage citizens to come out to vote, and not send them to prison.”
The letter was read in part: “If the National Assembly fails to bring down a bill that prescribes a six -month prison sentence for Nigeria who qualifies that decided not to vote in the national and state elections, and if the bill was approved by the Tinubu Ball President, absorbing would consider appropriate legal actions to challenge such legal legality and ensure they were never carried out.
“The idea of voting and citizens who are imprisoned because it does not vote impractical, unnecessary and violate the law. The right to vote is part of the right of citizens to participate in their own government and the choice of whether to exercise is personally.
“The right to vote includes the right not to vote. If the right to participate is the right of citizens, he must be free to decide whether to run it or not.
“Because the idea of democracy is based on the approval of citizens, voters must vote for how they carry out approval, not forced to elections such as ‘livestock for massacres.’
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“The National Assembly must propose bills to reduce the effect of money in politics, and encourage and not force the implementation of the right to participate.
“The proposed bill is a bright violation of the rights of political participation, which is guaranteed based on section 14 (1) (c) of the Nigerian Constitution, Article 25 International Agreements on Civil and Political Rights and Article 13 African Charter regarding human and people’s rights which Nigeria is a state party.
“Absorption also urges you to change the Nigerian constitution and the Election Law to enter the mandatory explicit provisions on internet voter registration, and the use of modern technology, including in casting and calculation, voter registration and system to report results.
“Changing the Nigerian Constitution and Election Law to explicitly include Nigerian rights that meet the requirements to vote and vote safely will increase the effectiveness of the political participation of their rights and representative democracy.
“This will rebuild public confidence in the ability of the National Assembly to effectively carry out its constitutional responsibilities.
“Every amendment to the Nigerian constitution and the Election law must include a bill to handle and punish their governors and representatives and their agents who commit violations of elections including voter oppression, voter intimidation and destruction of voting units or theft of election material.
“It is important for the National Assembly to introduce and ratify bills that will effectively revive politicians who continue to abuse the election rules to distort and damage the right to participate with almost absolute impunity.
“Removing constitutional immunity for the governor and their representatives who commit violations of elections will overcome the brave impunity for election crimes and human rights which often characterize the election of the state.
“The main problem faced by state democracy is the lack of respect for Nigeria’s right to participate and lack of trust that coincides with the results of the election. If citizens do not believe in the election process, then the entire democratic government system becomes questionable companies.
“The crisis that faces the Nigerian election and the lack of public trust and trust in the election process can be overcome if Nigeria’s right to choose and vote explicitly is recognized in the constitution as a right that can be justified.
“Nigeria currently does not enjoy the explicit rights to choose and choose safely. Despite the 1999 Nigerian Constitution [as amended] Give in section 14 (1) (c) that, “Participation by people in their government will be confirmed in accordance with the provisions of this constitution”, this is not recognized as a human rights that can be upheld legally.
“The Nigerian election law should be in such a way that it will have an effect on the will of voters and uphold popular mandate through a clean, fair, and honest election. The right to vote in democracy is important because so many other things depend on their training.”
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