Make adequate provisions for Nigerians in diaspora to vote in future elections – Medical Practitioner tasks INEC, FG
By Cajetan Mmuta, Awka
A renowned Nigerian medical practitioner based in the United Kingdom, Dr Charles Ojukwu has tasked the federal government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make adequate provisions through amendment of the Electoral Act to accommodate the interest of Nigerians in Diaspora to vote in future elections in the country.
Ojukwu stated this duing in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Abatete, Idemili North local government area of Anambra State.
He said that’s such provision in the Electoral Act to pave way for Diaspora voting would save Nigeria Diaspora Community the inconvenience of traveling from wherever they reside to cast their votes in the country each time there is an election period.
The medical practitioner who is an indigene of Ogbu Abatete disclosed that he “Flew into Nigeria to participate for this (2023) election and I equally did same during the governorship election in Anambra in November 2021.”
He said, “But if the Electoral Act is amended to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make provision for Diaspora voting, I will vote from wherever I based,”.
According to Ojukwu the positive impact of the Diaspora Community in the overall development of the nation Nigeria was enormous to be ignored.
Speaking also on the Presidential and National Assembly elections, Ojukwu commended the efforts of the INEC for the ‘significant’ progress made in the electoral process through the application of digital mechanisms.
He said, “I voted here during the November, 2021 governorship election and I must say that a lot have improved in the way INEC was operating.”
“Like in my polling unit, we initially recorded some hitches which made us to commence voting about 9.00am, but when they begun everything went smoothly,’ he noted.
Ojukwu appealed to the electoral Commission to ensure that the choice of the people reflects on the final results they would publish.
He added that doing so was the only way to guarantee the confidence of Nigerians in the activities of the Commission.
