As preparations for the 2023 presidential election are in top gear, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has recently disclosed that diaspora voting may not be possible in 2023 as it does not have the enabling laws to carry out diaspora voting in 2023.
This explanation was issued amid calls by many Nigerians in the diaspora, stating that it was time for Nigeria to take a cue from other African countries, the likes of South Africa, Cape Verde, Kenya, etc.
Last month August, a group, the Nigeria Diaspora Youth Ambassador, NDIYA, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, to allow Nigerians in diaspora to participate in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.
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The group in a statement through its president Amb. David Alozie disclosed that Nigerians are interested in exercising their franchise in the coming election, noting that those in the diaspora should not be denied the opportunity to vote.
See what he said;
“Nigerian youths and every Nigerian across the globe are interested in voting during the general elections, especially the president as that has a lot to contribute to how their affairs would be attended to by whoever becomes the commander-in-chief.
“So, for us, this is a simple message to the government on how eager Nigerians in the diaspora are, and if given the opportunity through online, we would be glad”.
In response to various calls for diaspora voting in the coming 2023 presidential election, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, disclosed that the commission had no laws allowing it to do so at the moment, as the national assembly needs to amend the law to allow it.
In his words;
“The current operative law does not allow diaspora voting. The National Assembly needs to amend the law to allow it. Once that is done, the commission will put the machinery in place to implement such law”.
He further disclosed that the commission is doing everything possible to bring all Nigerians, whether within the country or outside, to actively participate in the nation’s electoral process. All these calls became intense following the rising interest among Nigerians to eagerly participate in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.
Different persons have stated that Nigeria is overripe for diaspora voting, as it is just a matter of proper planning. They revealed that it was time for the country’s democracy to move from its infancy stage.
Unfortunately, the Nigerian national assembly had during the recent constitution amendment exercise, rejected the bill for an act to alter the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to provide for diaspora voting, and related matters.