Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has backed calls for Nigeria to adopt diaspora voting, stressing that Nigerians in the diaspora can vote through the embassies during elections.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Obasanjo stated this when the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa and some staff of the Commission paid him a courtesy call in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He wondered why the National Assembly cannot amend the country’s laws to make room for Nigerians abroad to vote during elections, saying: “All that we needed to do, if there is need for constitution amendment, simple thing. Amend the constitution that Nigerians in the diaspora will vote through the Nigerian embassy, that’s all”.
On her part, the NIDCOM boss lauded Obasanjo for the move to get Nigerians to coordinate their activities under a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Nigerians in Diaspora Organisations, (NIDO) over twenty years ago.
She also informed the former president of some achievements of the NiDCOM since its establishment.
“This engagement process has led to investment by Nigerians in Diaspora in critical sectors of the economy such as health, agriculture, hospitality and tourism, housing, among others,” a statement from the Commission’s Media, Public Relations Unit, signed by Gabriel Odu reads.
The NIDCOM boss added that the Commission has also launched a Diaspora Data Mapping Portal for demographic and strategic development.