The All Progressives Congress has raised concerns about allowing diaspora voting in Nigeria, citing constitutional and logistical challenges.
The Senate had, in a communiqué issued after its immersion retreat held in Ikot Ikpene, Akwa Ibom in October 2023, stated that it would amend the Electoral Act to allow for diaspora voting, at least for presidential elections, to enable citizens to vote, especially those on essential service abroad, such as military, paramilitary, and other security personnel, as well as embassy staff and other citizens.
Recently, the Inter-Party Advisory Council backed the move to amend the Electoral Act to allow diaspora voting.
But speaking with our correspondent on Tuesday, the National Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru, stressed the need to consider the legal implications before moving forward with such an initiative. Basiru pointed out that while the idea of diaspora voting was appealing, it must be aligned with the constitutional requirements.
He noted that to be elected as President of Nigeria, a candidate must not only secure a majority of the votes but also meet the constitutional requirement of winning at least one-quarter of the votes in two-thirds of the states. He questioned how votes cast abroad would be allocated to specific states, emphasizing that this issue requires careful examination.
Basiru stated that the discussion should focus on the integrity of the electoral process, especially as the country continues to address challenges in conducting credible elections within its borders. He said, “On the issue of aspiration, it is very desirable to have such, but we must know that the constitutional requirement under the Nigerian law needs to be looked into in that regard before we talk of diaspora voting. For instance, to be elected as President of Nigeria, there is a requirement.
“According to the Constitution, it’s not just about the majority votes; you must also have one-quarter of the votes in two-thirds of the states of the federation. So, the question is, those votes coming from the diaspora— which states are they going to be equated to?”
The APC National Secretary added, “This is not a matter for emotions; it’s a matter we must look into critically, especially at a time when we are battling with the integrity and sanctity of the elections conducted within our borders and are now talking about ballots from another jurisdiction. It is an aspiration we must strive for, but we must consider the constitutional implications and integrity of the elections.”
Last November, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, described the consideration of diaspora voting as good news. Senator Bamidele said, “Let me tell you some good news. Not that we are trying to bring the bill back; the bill is already on the floor of the 10th Senate. Exactly two weeks ago, we had the first reading of the bill. It has already been scheduled for a second reading.
“Definitely, as the Leader of the Senate, I can assure you that we will consider the second reading of the bill this week. After this stage, it will be referred to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.”