National Assembly to make diaspora voting happen soon, speaker assures Nigerians abroad 

Stanley Ihedigbo

Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbass, has assured Nigerians in the Diaspora that the much- expected Diaspora voting will happen during the tenure of the 10th Assembly.

According to the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Abbass gave the cheering news during the opening ceremony of 2024 National Diaspora Day under the auspices of the  commission in Abuja.

Represented by his Deputy, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the Speaker said he reintroduced the bill on Diaspora Voting at the plenary session a week ago and had passed through the first reading to show how serious the parliament is.

Kalu, who once lived in Australia, told the excited Diasporans that he is one of them and shared their sentiments on Diaspora voting.

He stressed the importance of the diaspora in Nigeria’s development, going by huge financial remittances back home and their expertise in national development.

He reiterated the resolve of the Parliament in the passage of the diaspora voting bill as it will go through constitutional amendments which is ongoing.

Luckily enough, the Deputy Speaker is the Co- Chair of the 1999 Constitution Review and has the support of the Senate in ensuring that the Diaspora voting sail through during the 10th Assembly.

Kalu said that while abroad, he
contributed his quota from abroad to national development, urging
other Nigerians in the diaspora to consider returning home to play their own part in the country’s development.

“Diaspora voting is in good hands and as the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, you can consider it as done” , he assured.

“It’s time for this vision to become a mission. We need to ensure that Nigerians abroad are not only contributing economically but also have their rights protected, including the right to vote, “he added.

The Speaker urged Nigerians living abroad to be patriotic and remain connected to their homeland by contributing to its development.

“Our nation needs your skills, your investments, and your commitment. Together, we can build a stronger, more prosperous Nigeria,” he said.

Earlier,  Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has called on the Parliament to pass the diaspora voting bill as a way of encouraging Nigerians living abroad to do more and have a say in the political activities in Nigeria.

She said the much expected diaspora voting bill aims to grant over 20 million Nigerians living overseas the right to vote, recognising their substantial impact through remittances and investments back in Nigeria.

The theme for the two-day 2024 National Diaspora Day was “Japa Phenomena and Its Implications for National Development”.