Diaspora voting desirable

The millions of Nigerians who reside outside of our shores, pursuing lives of meaningful achievement in their various fields have as much a stake in the present and future of Nigeria as those of us who live here.

These Nigerians, having chosen to pursue their dreams elsewhere, rarely forget the place from whence they’ve come. Our diaspora citizens use their resources to develop businesses and support family members here at home. They invest in their communities, providing scholarships, funding healthcare outreaches and in some cases by helping to develop or repair critical local infrastructure.

It is not peculiar that they expect to participate in choosing those who will lead our politics and administer the affairs of our Nigerian state. The topic of diaspora voting has within a short period of time become a matter of intense public debate. This reflects the capacity of our diaspora citizens to influence the content and tone of public policy conversations here at home.

It also causes us to confront the simple, unavoidable reality that this is a subject matter for which we must find resolution within the shortest possible time. Let us jointly consider the value of the proposals that are currently on offer, listen to the different perspectives and develop therefrom a workable plan of action for which we can seek and achieve the support of government policymakers and the general public.

Diaspora voting is not a new concept. In the United States of America, in France and India, and in South Africa amongst others, there are enabling laws and systems that allow citizens to exercise their fundamental right to participate in choosing the governments of their homeland.

Achieving a similar outcome here at home will be one more step towards realising the full promise of universal suffrage as it already exists in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is true that our electoral process in Nigeria is far from perfect. We have a lot of work to do to ensure that deliver an electoral system that is faithful to the best expectations of the Nigerian people.

We have started that work, and we will succeed in that objective. I refuse to accept as some have posited, that our existing imitations are sufficient reason not to attempt to achieve full electoral participation for all our citizens at home and abroad.

As Speaker of the House of Representatives, I am committed to achieving for all our people a democracy that is broad-based enough to accommodate all the range of voices that exist within our society Our nation’s fortunes are much improved and our best aspirations are much more achievable when we pursue them together, drawing on all the wisdom, diversity of expertise and experience that exists amongst us.

I commend the work of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) in looking out for and protecting the interests of our diaspora citizens. The efforts of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) and the Diaspora Voting Council in ensuring that this and other issues affecting Nigerians abroad receives the due attention of the government is laudable and deserving of emulation.

Femi Gbajabiamila,

Speaker, House of Representatives,

Abuja

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