The Senate Leader of Nigeria, Opeyemi Bamidele, announced that the country’s Senate will consider diaspora voting rights as part of the ongoing review of the Constitution. Bamidele mentioned this during a virtual diaspora dialogue, highlighting the commitment of the National Assembly to address issues affecting Nigerians in the diaspora. He stated that a bill related to diaspora voting rights had already undergone the first reading and would be considered for a second reading this week. The diaspora voting bill is part of broader efforts to ensure greater inclusion in the electoral process for Nigerians abroad.
The proposed legislation is seen as a crucial step in recognizing the rights of Nigerians living abroad to participate in the country’s democratic processes. After the Senate’s consideration, the bill will be referred to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution. Bamidele emphasized the importance of diaspora voting as a generational fight and urged stakeholders to engage with governors and speakers of state Houses of Assembly to ensure the bill’s passage into law. The legislative process includes concurrence from the House of Representatives and approval by two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly for the bill to become effective.