ABUJA, Nigeria – A bill seeking to introduce early voting for essential workers has scaled the second reading in the Senate.
Sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (Katsina Central), the bill aims to address the disenfranchisement of over one million Nigerians, including election officials, security personnel, journalists, and observers, who are often unable to vote on election day due to their duties.
Leading the debate on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Yar’Adua highlighted the decline in Nigeria’s voter turnout over the past three election cycles, attributing it partly to the exclusion of essential workers.
“In any democratic process, equal opportunity must be given to all citizens to participate in elections, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion, occupation, or socioeconomic status,” Yar’Adua said. “This ensures the true reflection of the will of the people, thereby enhancing the stability of the democratic process.”
He noted that essential workers, including INEC officials, security personnel, journalists, and observers, are often deployed to polling units far from where they registered, effectively denying them the right to vote.
“This is an irony that should not be lost on us, and this bill seeks to correct that by making provision for early voting for such citizens,” Yar’Adua said.
The senator emphasised that the exclusion of these workers has been a recurring issue in Nigeria’s elections since the Fourth Republic, with the problem becoming more pronounced during the 2023 elections.
He warned that the number of disenfranchised voters could significantly impact election outcomes.
“As lawmakers, it is our duty to ensure that every Nigerian citizen, regardless of their profession or duty on election day, has the opportunity to participate fully in the electoral process,” Yar’Adua said.
“Incorporating early voting in our electoral legal framework shall strengthen universal adult suffrage as our Constitution guarantees every eligible Nigerian the right to vote.”
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters for further legislative scrutiny. The committee is expected to submit its report within four weeks.
If passed, the bill would mark a significant step toward ensuring inclusivity in Nigeria’s electoral process, allowing essential workers to exercise their voting rights without compromising their duties on election day.
