DIASPORA VOTING : NIDCOM TO ASSIST IN DRAFTING BILL – ABIKE DABIRI

PUSH NEWS 24 INTERNATIONAL : January 2nd, 2022

Former Lawmaker and Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has come to clear the air on diaspora voting as we count down to the 2023 general elections.

Abike Dabiri, who, without a shred of doubt had raised the bar during her hugely successful stint as a journalist, who has been the face and link between Nigerians living abroad and the Federal Government is also confident that diaspora voting is doable.

Push News 24 International confirms that the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission through Abike’s leadership has expressed its readiness to assist Nigerians abroad to ensure that the National Assembly passes a law that will allow them to vote during general elections.

It however agreed that the proposed diaspora voting can be limited to some countries for a start.

The NIDCOM Chairman, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed these in an interview with the media.

Dabiri-Erewa in the interview, said her commission would do everything possible to assist Nigerians in Diaspora to achieve their dream on diaspora voting.

The assistance, she explained, would include the drafting of a bill that would be sent to the National Assembly as well as the necessary lobbying needed to ensure that the proposed amendment to the nation’s electoral laws scale through at the parliament.

She further disclosed that a seminar, where the issue and others as well as the possible challenges and how to tackle them would be addressed, had been fixed for Monday.

She said, “We will do everything to push along with Nigerians in diaspora on this issue of diaspora voting.

“A bill will be drafted and sent to the parliament to be included in the constitution amendment process because we will need the constitution to be amended to accommodate it.

“For now, diaspora voting may not feature the whole world. We will draft the bill in a manner that will give INEC the discretion to decide which countries for now, whether UK, US or so.”

Dabiri-Erewa worked for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for fifteen years, anchoring the weekly NTA News line programme and taking a particular interest in poverty and social justice issues. She retired from her position at Nigerian Television Authority to stand for election in the House of Representatives, winning with a substantial majority.

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