Agbakoba Condemns Bill To Make Voting Mandatory, Says He Would Rather Go To Prison Than Obey It 

Human rights lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has condemned the suggested legislation to mandate voting in the country.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television, he stated that he would rather be imprisoned than obey such a law.

He argued that such a law fails to address the root causes of voter apathy in the country.

“Look at the ridiculous one in the National Assembly about voting being compulsory. If that bill were to pass, I would say, ‘Agbakoba, we will not obey it.’ I’ll plead conscientious objection. I’d rather go to prison for six months than to obey it,” he said.

The senior lawyer questioned the rationale behind the bill, saying, “Why would the National Assembly want to impose compulsory voting? Why don’t they reverse the question and say, Why are Nigerians not interested? What is the apathy about?”

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According to him, voter disengagement stems from years of exclusion and unfulfilled political promises, not a lack of civic responsibility, adding that exclusion is at the heart of Nigeria’s democratic failure.

While looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the rights lawyer maintained that he has noticed a troubling pattern, warning that democracy in Nigeria cannot succeed if it continues to serve only a select elite.