By David Lawani
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, yesterday said it is not the wish of the commission that Nigerians in the Diaspora are unable to vote despite their desire.
He said the Commission is acting under the electoral legal framework, which remains the main reason why it cannot implement diaspora voting for now.
Yakubu made this assertion when he appeared at Chatham House in London, saying both the 1999 Constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act provide that voters can only be registered and vote within the country.
With his appearance, the INEC Chairman Yakubu has joined the list of persons directly connected to the upcoming elections to speak at Chatham House, a London-based think tank.
Others who had had speaking sessions are the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi.
Two other candidates, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) are also expected to speak there.
According to Yakubu, “Voting by millions of Nigerians living outside the country remains a recurrent issue for the Commission. Nigeria is said to have one of the largest diaspora communities in the world. Our quest for a fully inclusive electoral process in Nigeria will not be complete as long as these Nigerians are unable to vote.
“However, the Commission only acts under the electoral legal framework, which remains the main reason why we cannot implement diaspora voting for now. Both the 1999 Constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act provide that voters can only be registered and vote within the country.
“For instance, Section 77(2) of the Constitution provides that “every citizen of Nigeria, who has attained the age of eighteen years residing in Nigeria at the time of the registration of voters for purposes of election to a legislative house, shall be entitled to be registered as a voter for that election.”
“Sections 132(5) and 178(5) tie the eligibility to register and vote in executive elections (Presidential and Governorship) to the requirement of residency as in the case of legislative houses. The Commission hopes that these legal obstacles will be cleared at some point to enable Nigerians in the diaspora to vote in elections”, he stated.
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*Says elections will hold as scheduled
The INEC boss explained further that the Commission was committed to free, fair, and credible elections, adding that the election would hold as scheduled.
He said the electoral body would ensure that all votes count for the interest and political rights of all eligible Nigerians who are willing to elect leaders across the board that are accountable to every Nigerian.
He said, “We have promised Nigerians and friends of Nigeria that the 2023 general election will be free, fair, credible, and inclusive and we have left no stone unturned in preparing for it, despite several challenges. But all elections, especially those involving the type of extensive national deployment like we do in Nigeria, will naturally come with challenges.
“We have worked closely with stakeholders and development partners to confront these challenges and we are satisfied with our preparations so far. Our Commission does not take the pledge that we have repeatedly made to Nigerians lightly.
“We are leaving no stone unturned in our preparations. Our commitment remains only to Nigerians and not to any political party or candidate. That is what the law requires of us.
“We cherish the institutional independence and integrity of the Commission. With the enthusiasm of Nigerians, the goodwill of stakeholders and partners, and the commitment of the Commission, we believe that the 2023 general election will be among the best conducted in Nigeria”, Yakubu stated.
