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