*If smaller countries can, larger country like Nigeria should – Buhari’s Aide
*We at INEC are convinced of need for Diaspora voting – INEC boss
By Kemi Kasumu, General Editor
The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said that he and his Commission’s members are already convinced on the urgent need to have Diaspora voting in Nigeria. He listed some of the efforts by the commission to make it happen by making submissions to National Assembly which was not included in the amendment bill sent to the State Assemblies for concurrence. Yakubu recalled how INEC had assisted countries like Niger, Senegal, Benin Republic to do Diaspora voting, overseas representation and constitutional referendum.
The much talked about need for Nigerians in the Diapora to be allowed the rights to vote from their various countries of stay may have received attention as the Presidency’s Abike Dabiri-Erewa made it a focal point of her meeting with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Thursday.
Dabiri-Erewa, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Matters canvassed with the INEC boss on the need to ensure early passage, by the National Assembly, of the required laws guaranteeing the rights of Diapora rights to vote.
Dabiri-Erewa presenting a copy of Diapora magazine to the INEC boss.
According Abdul-Rahman Balogun, Special Assistant on Media to Dabiri-Erewa, the cheering news came on Thursday when Dabiri-Erewa paid a courtesy call on the INEC Chairman in Abuja where the issue of Diaspora voting took the centre stage.
The Presidential aide had told the Chairman that with the huge contributions of the Nigerians in the Diaspora to the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria, it is expedient that they should be given a voice in the political arena.
“Mr. Chairman, my mission here today is to tell you the aspirations and eagerness of the Nigerians in the Diaspora to take part in the electoral process back at home.
“They have contributed a lot to the Nigeria economy to the tune of $22 billion dollars remittances annually and are developing world economies”, She said.
Dabiri-Erewa said if smaller countries in West Africa are conducting Diaspora voting, Nigerians who were more than 15 million abroad are more desirous to vote.
She, however, noted that though it might not be feasible for them to vote in 2019, she called for a concerted effort to make it happen by pressurising the National Assembly to do the needful in amendment to the electoral law.
Responding, the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said that he and his Commission’s members are already convinced on the urgent need to have Diaspora voting in Nigeria.
He listed some of the efforts by the commission to make it happen by making submissions to National Assembly which was not included in the amendment bill sent to the State Assemblies for concurrence.
Yakubu recalled how INEC had assisted countries like Niger, Senegal, Benin Republic to do Diaspora voting, overseas representation and constitutional referendum.
He said that the Commission was in the process of collecting data to know the total number of Nigerians based in those countries to facilitate planning and delineation.
