Seven years ago, precisely January 27, 2009, a Federal High Court at Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately put in place machineries for Nigerians abroad to register and vote without having to travel home for that purpose. The High Court presiding Judge, Justice Adamu Bello, directed INEC to follow due pro~ess by sponsoring a bill to the National Assembly, for Nigerians abroad to vot€1 but INEC, ~or lack of political will or fear of unknown, disobeyed the court.
“This one cool judgement,” according to a Nobel Peace Prize Winner and former American President, Woodrow Wilson, “is worth a thousand hasty cou!1sels, the thing to do is to supply lights and not heat”. INEC disobeying the court order, never supplied light, never sponsored a bill to the National Assembly for debate. Rather, it keeps conducting “hasty heated” internal elections thereby limiting Nigerians democracy to its territorial boundaries. The culmination of it all, of course, is poor service delivery by the electoral umpire.
Fortunately, the present administration of President Mohammadu Buhari has expressed desire for Diaspora Voting right. It is perhaps, not unconnected with the seeming robust relationship being enjoyed’ from the international community. This is why ~~9~%.fs>r INEC to do the needful by moving away from the rigmarole of inclusive elections and perpetual procrastination of our common destiny.
For the records, South Africans in Overseas, in February 2009, went to Pretoria High Court on the same subject and got judgment in their favour. This was a month after Nigerians abroad got judgment at Abuja. Immediately, South African electoral body respected the court, commenced implementation of their judgment allowing the Rainbow citizens abroad to vote in the country’s April 2009 Presidential election and hat of May 7, 2014 general elections.
Other African countries including Ghana Guinea, Senegal and Togo within West Africa sub-region have also expanded their democratic space beyond Card Reader Machine manipulations and cloning of PVC’s. This is the reason their citizens abroad vote in their elections. Even small Island like Sao Tome and Principe has a sound, modern means of voting in addition to providing their diaspora brothers and sisters opportunity to vote.
Months ago, February 28, 2106 to be precise, citizens of neighbouring Niger Republic, residing in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world, voted in their recent presidential elections.
Unfortunately in Nigeria, braze abuse of inaliable rights of full-blooded Citizens, home and abroad, has permeated all sectors to the extent of disenfranchising its people the rights to vote. Nigeria forget that the growing interest in democracy and political process is a pointer to the critical fact that electoral leadership with the capacity to triumph over and above primordial sentiments is indeed needed as a necessity.
As Africa’s largest democracy, we need a global access through E- voting for Nigerians in diaspora. This will help give huge impact to our elections, demonstrating to the international community that we have come a long way. After all sixteen years of uninterrupted democratic journey is inspiring enough for growth and expansion.
This is not to say that Diaspora or external voting is without attendant challenges. Proper screening of individuals to indentify true Nigerian citizens, the residency or methods of voter registration, the circumstances of the person staying abroad either by occupation or length of time the person has spent overseas are corresponding issues to grapple with. Nevertheless, these challenges are not insurmountable if there is strong political will.
It is important to know that the potentials, prospects and benefits of Diaspora voting far outweigh the fears. For instance, Nigerians in diaspora have over the years contributed and are still contributing politically, socially and economically to the development of their father land. Their vote, would therefore not only strengthen their unity of purpose as development partners but will also symbolize their identity as a people with a home they can call their own.
Take it or leave it, the present fall of the Naira, would have been prevented if Nigerians overseas were encouraged through deliberate investment policy to promote made in Nigeria goods and services at the countries of their domicile. This is why disapora voting is indeed significant, particularly to re-connect and re-define our economic status and socio-political rebirth.
In so doing, we must borrow a leaf .from developed. countries that have been’ practicing ‘external voting for proper comparism. Our peculiarities in terms of migration policies, programmes, naturalizastion and double citizenship must be factored tracyparently for in-depth analysis and value satisfaction.
All seen and unseen indices should be presented in a manner that is not skewed for a political party defeat or victory. This pre-supposes that the faulty electoral instruments that have largely contributed to controversies, such as printing and distribution of essential and non-essential election materials including ballot boxes must be avoided.
E-voting for our diaspora brothers and sisters using modern technology is clean, transparent and without complications. The earlier we begin the process of putting needed human and material resources in place, the better. Nigerians are waiting.
Imikubi is of the Radio Rivers, Port Harcourt.

Lilybox Imikubi