As a diasporan, I cannot agree more with other Diasporans, who claim that the “Nigerian Diaspora Vote” is the biggest fight facing the Nigerian Diaspora today.
The fact that remittances from the Nigerian Diaspora into Nigeria has averaged $23b yearly for the last 10 years coupled with the skill set and wealth of experience of Nigerians in Diaspora, integration by voting should have been the nation’s priority a long time ago.
Voting rights at Nigerian elections, despite their faults, at least offers the Diaspora some degree of participation. Without this, there is no way the diaspora can get involved besides just sending money and this injustice is disenfranchising over 20 million Nigerians in Diaspora. We cannot sit down and watch our country slowly crumble; we need an opportunity to fix it.
On 19 Aug 2023 during The Nigerians in Diaspora NIDO AGM held in London, Mr Patrick U Maidoh, The Global Diaspora Director for Senator Nwoko, addressed members of the Nigerian Diaspora urging them to sign the petition that can change our fortunes and that of our Country. The Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa was on the same page, telling the crowd that Sen. Ned Nwoko has the capacity to canvass Nigerian lawmakers on this important change.
Senator Ned Nwoko has given the impression that he can solve this problem with our diaspora support. He has acknowledged that the diaspora are the ones with the skill set to help return Nigeria to its glory days. However, first, the senator must overturn the long-standing Nigerian constitution that prevents the Nigerian Diaspora from voting by getting millions of Nigerians in Diaspora to sign a petition to have the constitution amended to one that will allow the Nigerian diaspora vote.
The Nigerian Diaspora voting should be a straightforward process like in other Africa Countries, which are a lot smaller than Nigeria. Diasporans from Rwandan, South Africa, Burundi and lesser countries in all specifications to Nigeria, can vote, so why not in Nigeria.
There is a series of Town Hall meetings scheduled across the diaspora to give Nigerians in Diaspora the opportunity to discuss any resistance to the signing of the petition to amend the Nigerian Constitution to enable the Diaspora to vote and be voted for.
For more information on the progress of this petition please contact Global Diaspora Director, Mr Patrick U Maidoh.
It is not right that Nigerians who come from the country, contribute to the main stay of the economy and have such level of skill and expertise remain locked out of the Country’s democratic process.
To sign the petition now, Go to change.org, search for “Nigerian Electoral Participation” and sign the petition. It takes 1 minute only.
Regards
The Editor