Nigerians in Diaspora may soon be able to exercise their right to vote during the nation’s elections if the Nigerian Diaspora Commission has its way.
The Chairman of the Commission, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who on Tuesday, briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on its activities, told State House correspondents that the commission will push for the amendment of the relevant part of the constitution to make it possible for Nigerians abroad to vote.
While noting that some African countries have already achieved the milestone, Dabiri-Erewa said: “As we go into the new year, we’ll ensure we put Diaspora matters on the front burner.
“Also, we’ll be engaging the National Assembly to look into the issue of Diaspora voting. Nigerians in the Diaspora believe they should be able to vote and remitting so much to the country, contributing so much to the economy, we believe they should be able to vote.
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“So, we hope we can work with the parliament to amend the relevant laws to make it possible for people in the Diaspora to vote.”
The commission boss noted the over $25 billion remittances made by Nigerians in Diaspora in 2019 and hoped 2020 will even be better.
She said: “For 2019, we are dealing with about $25 billion as remittances from Nigerians in the Diaspora. We hoping it could get better.
“There are even areas that are not even captured. The foremost remittances are not even captured; the $500 to your brothers, to your sisters. Beyond remittances, there are a lot more than Nigerians in the Diaspora will do for their country. We hope it gets better, we hope that Nigerians in the Diaspora continue to help in resuscitating the Nigerian economy.
“We are putting a team in place to work out modalities for the Diaspora Trust Fund. We are in the process of planning it and engaging Nigerians in the Diaspora as to how it can be done. A few countries, like Ethiopia, have a Diaspora Investment Fund, Nigeria should not be an exception. We are working on it.
“We are hoping we can get everything set in the first quarter of next year.”
On the meeting with the president, Dabiri-Erewa said she briefed him on the activities of the commission in the last few months.
She stated: “Normally it’s not easy setting up a new commission, but we are indeed grateful to the staff of the Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr President himself, that we’ve been able to hit the ground running.
“We’ve dealt with a lot of issues; xenophobic attacks in South Africa and those who have returned. “Recently two, young Nigerians stranded in Croatia returned and we received them in the office. We have had various engagements.
“We have sent the Diaspora Policy to the Federal Executive Council, hopefully, it will be considered in the new year.
“We are also looking at our engagements in the new year. I was able to brief on the short term, medium-term and long term goals of the Diaspora Commission, and the key thing is that Mr President has instructed wherever Nigerians are, their welfare is paramount.
“So, the Commission will always engage with Nigerians wherever they are and follow the President’s instruction to ensure that we do not take anyone for granted or neglect anyone.
“It’s tough and challenging, but I know the Commission is up to the task. As we move on into the new year, we have started the process of having a Diaspora database to know exactly the number of Nigerians in Diaspora, accurately. Hopefully, we’ll have a Diaspora Policy to be ratified by the Federal Executive Council and then we continue our engagements.”
On the impact of the commission so far, she said: “We have Nigeria in Diaspora Investment Summit, which was very successful. We are planning the Nigerian Diaspora Trust Fund because Nigerians in the Diaspora want to invest in their country and they want to contribute to the Diaspora Investment Trust Fund. We will be coming up in the new year and a lot of other engagements and activities.
“As for the returnees from South Africa, as we said earlier, we have not abandoned them and we’ll not abandon them.
“In January, we’ll be meeting with them again and we are working with SMEDAN and other agencies to see what more can be done for those returnees.
“We appeal to states, I think about three states, that have not reached out to returnees to please do so. They are not many and I don’t think it’s a difficult thing to do.”
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