Reps consider bill to introduce diaspora voting

A bill seeking to introduce diaspora voting passed second reading in the house of representatives on Tuesday.

Sponsored by Tajudeen Abass, speaker of the house; and Sadiq Abdullahi, lawmaker from Kano state; the proposed legislation seeks to enable qualified citizens residing outside the country’s shores to vote in elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The commission shall, from time to time, organise voters’ registration for all citizens living outside Nigeria at places and with such methods which it shall designate,” the bill proposes.

“The provisions of this Act shall not invalidate the provisions of any other law including requirements with respect to elections in Nigeria but shall only create room for the participation of citizens living outside of Nigeria in elections.

“The commission shall ensure that such elections under section 3 of this Act are organised in places outside Nigeria and in such a manner to enable citizens living outside Nigeria to participate in such elections.

“Such elections shall be organised in such other locations outside Nigeria within the same date(s) which the same election is taking place within Nigeria.

“The commission may make and publish regulations for any such matters necessary for giving full effect to the provisions of this Act.

“Regulations made under this Act shall not come into effect unless it is approved by a simple resolution of the national assembly.”

Leading the debate on the bill, Abdullahi said the US and some African countries have adopted diaspora voting to allow all eligible citizens, irrespective of their locations anywhere in the world, to vote in their general election.

He said Nigerians in the diaspora who will be qualified to vote are not people who have “travelled out of their countries and do not have any link with their countries anymore”.

“Those who have left their countries of birth and no longer care about the progress of their countries do not fall within the meaning of diaspora in this context,” he said.

“Therefore, when we refer to Nigerians in diaspora, we are referring to people of Nigerian nationality and descent who have migrated to, or were born and live in other countries, who share a common identity and a sense of belonging and have continued to maintain a link with friends and relatives back home.”

The bill was unanimously adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker, who presided over plenary.

The bill failed to scale through at the senate and house of representatives during the 9th assembly.