By Caroline Ameh
The Nigerian Senate has taken a significant step toward expanding voting rights, as a bill seeking to introduce early voting for essential workers passed its second reading on Thursday.
The bill, titled the “Electoral Act (Amendment – Early Voting Bill) 2024”, is sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua and aims to address the disenfranchisement of citizens who are unable to vote on election day due to their official duties.
In his lead debate, Senator Yar’adua emphasized the need to enfranchise electoral officials, security personnel, journalists, and election observers, who are deployed to polling stations far from their registered voting locations.
“This bill seeks to correct a major electoral injustice by allowing Nigerians who work on election day the opportunity to cast their votes in advance,” Yar’adua stated. “Over one million citizens involved in election administration are effectively excluded from the process, despite their critical roles in ensuring its success.”
Eligibility & Registration – Security personnel, electoral officials, and other eligible voters must apply 30 days before early voting day. INEC will share the list of registered early voters with political parties for transparency.
Early Voting Timeline – Early voting will take place no more than seven days before the general election. The votes will be counted on the official election day to maintain the integrity of the process.
Senator Yar’adua pointed out that early voting is already part of the electoral frameworks in the U.S., Canada, Germany, and several African nations such as South Africa, Ghana, and Namibia, where it has helped increase voter participation and improve election administration.
He also noted Nigeria’s declining voter turnout—from 43.7% in 2015 to 27.1% in 2023—arguing that early voting could help reverse this trend by giving more citizens a chance to vote.
Despite concerns about logistics and security, Senator Yar’adua assured his colleagues that proper planning and existing legal mechanisms would ensure a smooth implementation of early voting.
The bill received overwhelming support from senators, and when Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau put it to a voice vote, it scaled second reading. The legislation now moves forward in the legislative process, bringing Nigeria closer to a more inclusive and accessible electoral system.
