By Emmanuel Oloniruha
A group, Nigeria Diaspora Coalition for Change, has called for immediate passage of a legislation on diaspora voting, with concrete timelines, before the 2027 general elections.
The coalition’s Board Member, Strategy and Implementation Lead, Mr Labode Obanor in a statement today in Abuja reveals that even as Nigerians abroad send over 20 billion dollars annually to buoy Nigeria’s economy, they were still being treated as citizens without voices.
He said that year after year, Nigerians in the diaspora had been demanding the right to participate meaningfully in the governance of their homeland.
“We have called for diaspora voting, a basic democratic right enjoyed by citizens of Ghana, Kenya and even a war-torn nation like Somalia.
“But Nigeria kept giving excuses such as ‘we are committed to diaspora inclusion’, ‘diaspora voting is under consideration’, ‘reforms are underway’, yet the Electoral Act remains silent on diaspora voting,” he said.
Obanor expressed the regret that all the bills proposing diaspora enfranchisement had either been stalled or sabotaged at the National Assembly, saying that there was no constitutional amendment, political will or pathway to their participation.
He said that at every election season, officials usually flocked abroad with grand speeches about the importance of the diaspora.
According to him, when it comes to allowing them to cast their votes, the door would be slammed on them.
“This is not an oversight. This is betrayal, calculated, deliberate and inexcusable,’’ he said.
Obanor further stated that Nigerians in the diaspora refused to accept their continued disenfranchisement and exclusion that ensured the best and brightest Nigerians were systematically locked out of reforming the system.
“The demands of the Nigerian Diaspora Coalition for Change and of other major organisations committed to national redemption are clear, urgent and just. We do not ask for favours; we demand what is owed.
“We demand immediate passage of diaspora voting legislation, with concrete timelines before the next election cycle,’’ he said.
Obanor also called for emergency security reforms grounded in local accountability, civilian protection and the dismantling of the state’s culture of impunity.
He also called for economic policies that would prioritise food security, currency stability, job creation, not perpetual enrichment of political cartels, as well as full respect for democratic rights: freedom of protest, freedom of the press, and an end to police brutality.
“Critically, we demand a comprehensive review of the Nigerian constitution to eliminate the clauses and framework that enshrine religious and ethnic bias, suppress equity and protect dysfunction under the guise of federalism.
“These are not mere reforms; they are prerequisites for survival,’’ he said.
Obanor said that the coalition would not relent until the issue was properly addressed.
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