By Omenazu Jackson
The recent proposal to criminalize citizens who abstain from voting is not only tone-deaf—it is a dangerous deflection from the systemic failures that have fueled electoral apathy in Nigeria. Rather than confronting the root causes of mass voter disengagement, the National Assembly seems intent on punishing the victims of a broken political system.
Electoral apathy in Nigeria is not born out of laziness or indifference. It is a direct response to repeated betrayals—selective justice, unkept promises, and institutions that serve power rather than the people. How can we demand civic responsibility from citizens when the state consistently fails to punish electoral offenders who subvert the democratic process with impunity? Ballot box snatchers, vote buyers, and their sponsors walk free, emboldened by a justice system that has become predictably silent at critical moments.
Even more troubling is the undue influence political actors hold over the appointment of electoral officers. A process that should be neutral and sacrosanct has become a strategic extension of partisan control. When those who oversee elections are perceived to be loyal to the ruling elite, trust in the entire electoral process erodes. Citizens begin to see voting not as empowerment, but as endorsement of a pre-determined outcome.
Then there is the grave issue of political parties who win elections under grandiose manifestos only to govern with impunity and disregard. This is not mere political inconsistency—it is a criminal breach of public trust. The social contract between the electorate and the elected is broken, yet no consequences follow. When there is no accountability, the ballot loses its meaning.
To criminalize those who opt out of this compromised system is not just unjust—it is an amplified criminal boldness by a political class desperate to preserve legitimacy it has not earned. The state cannot force loyalty where it has failed to earn trust.
The path forward is not coercion—it is reform. Nigeria must:
Enforce strict penalties against electoral offenders, regardless of political affiliation.
Transfer the power of appointing electoral officers to an independent, credible body.
Enshrine legal consequences for political parties that abandon their manifestos.
Foster transparency, trust, and participation through open governance and civic education.
Only through genuine electoral reform can we restore faith in democracy. Until then, criminalizing abstention is not a solution—it is an insult to an already betrayed citizenry.
Dr Omenazu Jackson.
Chancellor International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR).
