SENATE CONSIDERS DIASPORA VOTING
10TH SENATE CONSIDERS SEN. NED NWOKO’S BILL FOR DIASPORA VOTING RIGHTS.
The Nigerian 10th Senate has stated that it is considering a proposed bill that would allow Nigerian nationals living in other countries to participate in the country’s General Elections.
This was disclosed by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti) in a discussion held by ENGAGE DIASPORA FOUNDATION in collaboration with the DIRECTORATE OF DIASPORA & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.
The dialogue was themed:
“A PIVOTAL STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING DIASPORA VOTING RIGHTS”
The lawmaker revealed that the bill was already on the floor of the Senate, passed the First Reading & has been equally scheduled for the Second Reading.
Senator Bamidele, assured Nigerians in the Diaspora that the 10th Senate would put in more effort to pass the bill.
“We will do our best to make sure that this time around, we achieve your desire in this regard because there are millions of Nigerians living abroad.”
The Senator Ned Nwoko’s bill on Diaspora Voting sought to Amend the 1999 Constitution, seeking to alter Section 48, 49, 71, 72, 77, and 117 to allow Nigerians outside the country to participate in the electoral voting processes.
When passed into law, the bill will increase the Senatorial Districts from the current 109 to 113, the new four Districts will be designated to America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.
The House of Representatives Constituencies would also increase from the current 360 to 376, with the new 16 constituencies allocated to Diaspora Senatorial Districts.
The Bill equally outlines Qualifications and eligibility for Nigerian citizens in Diaspora.
The 10th Senate is considering the Diaspora Voting Rights, a bill sponsored by Most Distinguished Nigerian Senator Prince Ned Nwoko (PDP) Delta North to allow Nigerians outside the country to participate in the Nigeria’s Election. Below is an estimated statistical information of Top 10 countries of Nigerians population in Diaspora.
1 USA 🇺🇸
380,785 Nigerians
2 United Kingdom 🇬🇧
190,000 Nigerians
3 Italy 🇮🇹
72,000 Nigerians
4 Germany 🇩🇪
56,000 Nigerians
5 Canada 🇨🇦
51,800 Nigerians
6 France 🇫🇷
30,000 Nigerians
7 South Africa 🇿🇦
30,000 Nigerians
8 Ireland 🇮🇪
17,542 Nigerians
9 China 🇨🇳
10,000 Nigerians
10 Netherlands 🇳🇱
9,453 Nigerians
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