Yemisi Izuora
The Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, at the weekend said the commission was seeking an amendment of the Electoral Law to enable more than 20 million Nigerians living abroad to vote in the country’s general election.
She spoke in Ado-Ekiti at the celebration of the 2019 Ekiti Diaspora Homecoming Reception organised by the state government in conjunction with some youth organisations.
Dabiri-Erewa, represented by the Head, Media and Public Relations of the commission, Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Balogun, explained that Nigerians living abroad were contributing enormous resources to national development.
She said it was only normal that they were allowed to vote from their various countries of abode during elections.
She said: “With Nigerians in Diaspora contributing so much to the Nigerian economy, estimated at over $25 billion in 2018, we believe they deserve to vote for their choice of leaders at home.
“We are already working with the National Assembly to hopefully make this a reality in Nigeria through amendment to the country’s Electoral Act.
“We, therefore, look forward to many more engagements with Nigerians in the Diaspora in the years ahead.”
Dabiri-Erewa said the commission in collaboration with other stakeholders had drafted and validated a holistic Diaspora Policy currently awaiting the approval of the Federal Executive Council.
According to her, the Federal Government has set aside July 25 of every year to celebrate and honour Nigerians in the Diaspora for their contributions to national development.
She said the government’s gesture was to ensure networking, dialogue and constructive interface between Nigerian professionals and experts in the Diaspora and Nigerians at home on development challenges and opportunities.
Dabiri-Erewa further said since the establishment of the commission, a lot of activities had been held to fulfill the agency’s mandate.
She said: “The commission has continually engaged in advocacy to states to connect to the larger Diaspora movement.
“We see the establishment of Diaspora Focal Point in Governors’ Offices in the 36 states of the Federation as paramount.
“I am happy to inform you that Ekiti is one of the frontline states out of 16 states that have established either a Diaspora Desk or Office of Diaspora Affairs.
“The commission between November 5 and November 6 organised the second Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit in Abuja which was a huge success with over 600 participants from different parts of the world.
“As a follow-up to the December 18 and December 19 Summit, two young Nigerians resident in Saudi Arabia put together the first Saudi Arabia/Nigeria Investment Forum.
“This was an offshoot of the Nigerians in Diaspora Investment Summit. It was also a great success.”
Governor Kayode Fayemi had described the theme of the event: “Leveraging Diaspora Resources for Youth and Socio-Economic Development in Ekiti,” as apt.
The governor, represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs, Femi Odere, said the state deliberately created the Diaspora Affairs office so that Ekiti sons and daughters abroad could connect to the state.
Fayemi said the ultimate aim for the structure in the state was to make the people contribute to the economic restoration agenda of his administration.
The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), urged all Nigerians in the Diaspora, especially those from Ekiti, to shun negative activities that could paint the country and state in bad light.
Babalola, represented by Prof. Sylvester Ojo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, said Ekiti indigenes abroad must scale up their contributions to the development of the state.
