Why 10 million Nigerians in diaspora may vote in 2027

By 2027, Nigerians outside of the country may be able to vote during the election from wherever they are, Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House of Reps said on Thursday.

According to Benjamin Kalu, who represented Abass at the first National Diaspora Day event in Abuja, the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives is sponsoring a bill to enable diaspora voting by the 2027 election cycle.

“I was the one who pushed for this 20 years ago when President Obasanjo tasked us with enhancing our democracy by incorporating Nigerians abroad into our political framework,” he said at the event organized by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), themed “Japa Phenomena and Its Implication for National Development”.

The bill is poised to grant the over 10 million Nigerians living overseas the right to vote, having contributed significantly to the nation’s economy through remittances. “Diaspora remits $20 billion annually and has significantly impacted sectors such as ICT, education, and healthcare,” he noted.

The speaker underscored the urgency of the bill and the need to implement it by the next election cycle in 2027.

“It’s time for this vision to become a mission. We need to ensure that Nigerians abroad are not only contributing economically but also have their rights protected, including the right to vote,” he said.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson, NIDCOM shared the speaker’s stance, stressing the urgency of the bill to complement diaspora investment.

“I believe that it’s about time to have diaspora voting…Somebody said to me, we’re not ready. The question is when are we going to be ready?” she said. “In the last two years, our doctors have set over 10 hospitals in Nigeria. A whole lot of them coming home to invest in their country and it has improved in the last few years. ICT, education, healthcare, food business, they are coming home to invest and they deserve to vote.”

The proposed constitutional amendment has now been presented for its first reading, the speaker revealed. As the chairman of the constitutional review committee, he expressed commitment to advancing the bill, assuring that the process is “in safe hands.”

“I share your sentiments and I believe that joining our hands together, we can get this achieved,” he said.

Dabiri-Erewa is also confident in the bill’s success. “I believe that if the speaker sponsors a bill, it will pass…there should be nothing to be afraid of.”