The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed reservations about the proposal to allow diaspora voting in Nigeria, citing constitutional and logistical concerns.
This comes after the Nigerian Senate, during an October 2023 retreat in Ikot Ikpene, Akwa Ibom, announced plans to amend the Electoral Act to permit diaspora voting, particularly in presidential elections.
The amendment is expected to benefit Nigerians on essential services abroad, such as military personnel, embassy staff, and others.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has backed the move to amend the Electoral Act. However, APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, in an interview on Tuesday, stressed the need to carefully evaluate the legal implications.
He emphasized that while the idea of diaspora voting is appealing, it must be aligned with Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
Basiru pointed out that under the current Constitution, a presidential candidate must not only secure the majority of votes but also win at least one-quarter of the votes in two-thirds of Nigeria’s states.
He questioned how votes cast abroad would be attributed to specific states, suggesting that this issue requires detailed scrutiny.
“This is not a matter for emotions; it’s a matter we must look into critically,” Basiru said. He added that Nigeria is still grappling with election integrity challenges within its borders, and the introduction of diaspora ballots could complicate the process further.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, had earlier described the move towards diaspora voting as “good news.” The bill, which was introduced in the 10th Senate, has already passed its first reading and is scheduled for a second reading soon. If approved, it will be referred to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
