A bill to allow diaspora voting in the Nigerian election has passed for second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill, Diaspora Voting Bill, which is co-sponsored by the Speaker of the house, Abbas Tajudeen and Sodeeq Abdullahi, seeks to amend the 2022 Electoral Act and provide opportunities for Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote.
Nigerians overseas have no voting rights unlike some countries which allow their citizens to vote in their countries of residence.
There have been calls for Nigerians overseas to exercise their franchise. This prompted the introduction of the bill.
Leading debate on the bill on Tuesday, Abdullahi argued that the proposed legislation will benefit every Nigerian outside the country if it becomes law.
“This bill will benefit all Nigerians, most especially the ones living outside Nigeria. It will save them the logistics of coming home to vote,” he said.
The bill was unanimously passed and referred to the House Committee on Electoral Matters.