Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas on Tuesday presented a Bill that will allow Nigerians in the diaspora to vote from wherever they are at any given election in the country.
The Bill is co-sponsored by Hon. Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, who led the debate on the general principles of the Bill on behalf of the speaker.
In his debate, Abdullahi argued that Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) grants citizens the fundamental right of freedom of expression and opinion.
“All citizens irrespective of their location anywhere in the globe should be given the right and freedom to express themselves in our country’s general election,” he said.
He explained that since Nigerians abroad meet their financial obligations to the country through remittances, it is fair and proper that they are given the right to carry out their civic responsibility of expressing their leadership preference during elections.
“It is widely believed that diaspora remittances have contributed remarkably to the development of Nigeria. Nigerians in the diaspora make considerable contribution to the economy through huge financial inflow to the country. Sadly, the existing laws in Nigeria have not made any provision granting voting rights to Nigerians in the diaspora.
“Consequently, the agitation for voting rights for Nigerians in the diaspora has continued to gain momentum. It is a practice that allows for holistic inclusiveness in a democratic society.
“Section 1 of the bill guarantees the voting rights of citizens living outside Nigeria. The section provides that elections to be conducted under this Act if passed, shall include elections which the commission is empowered by law.
“Section 4 provides that this Act if passed, shall not invalidate the existing laws in Nigeria. It only provides a platform for Nigerians in the diaspora to participate in elections conducted in Nigeria,” he said.
He added that the benefit of such a law will be that it allows Nigerians in their respective countries of residence to vote in the general elections without the rigors and logistic challenges of travelling to Nigeria to exercise their voting rights among others.
The Bill was eventually referred to the Committees on Electoral Matters for further legislative actions.
