debosky:

Nigerians abroad who hold citizenship should be allowed to vote.

It won't help in a pre-rigged system though, and it will open further doors for corrupt officials to 'travel abroad' to canvass votes from the Diaspora. 

Transparency of the current electoral system is the prime need right now not this.

I can forsee there being a Fashola rally in London to support him versus Obanikoro rally in Birmingham or something. 

This is a distraction in my view - without reforming the electoral system, we will simply be creating further avenues for rigging and other electoral malpractices. I can imagine a politician going to say Ghana and getting thousands to vote for him and claim to be Nigerians (after bribing embassy officials or customs agents to issue false passports)

Kobojunkie:

Are the Nigerians in Nigeria the only ones who wear this shoe of yours? You mean those who live abroad but still have families and businesses back do not wear those shoes? They don’t have an understanding of what is going on down there?

must_a_far:

political opponents would pitch diasporans against non-diasporans, with a mantra that might sound this way, [b]he won the last election because people abroad voted for him, see what he has done. after he is done eating ur money he would go back to the diaspora and spend it with his diaspora friends.[/b] whether true or not, whether that individual was the best person to have ever occupied that seat or not, all so he could snatch power.

i_laugh:

@Debosky

and also the politicians giving money to the diasporians and the diasporians collecting the money and the diasporians helping in riging the election,[b] or are you saying the diasporians have ben washed clean of the Nigerian syndrome in them, or you assume they ca not be bought with moeny like those back home? [/b]Please answer me.

eldee:

Forgive me for being old-fashioned but I believe only people that go through the exact situation, as in, living in a country and suffering the exact problems associated with life in Nigeria should have the right to decide who they choose as the leaders.

For goodness sake, that's why diasporans(even those without dual citizenship) are allowed to vote in the countries they live in.
Those that have families back home?? Nah, they don't feel it as some living there would!!!
This is the same way some an NIN knows nothing about the ethnic glass ceiling African-Americans talk about.

And those with businesses?? C'mon!!!
Aight then, Richard Branson should be allowed to vote for AD cause his Virgin business has been affected by PDP decisions.

IMO, only people that have been resident in Nigeria within the last two years should be allowed to decide who leads the country. And this is really easy considering the fact the there's a Voter's Register.

eldee:

Forgive me for being old-fashioned but I believe only people that go through the exact situation, as in, living in a country and suffering the exact problems associated with life in Nigeria should have the right to decide who they choose as the leaders.

eldee:

For goodness sake, that's why diasporans(even those without dual citizenship) are allowed to vote in the countries they live in.
Those that have families back home?? Nah, they don't feel it as some living there would!!!
This is the same way some an NIN knows nothing about the ethnic glass ceiling African-Americans talk about.

eldee:

And those with businesses?? C'mon!!!
Aight then, Richard Branson should be allowed to vote for AD cause his Virgin business has been affected by PDP decisions.

eldee:

IMO, only people that have been resident in Nigeria within the last two years should be allowed to decide who leads the country. And this is really easy considering the fact the there's a Voter's Register.

eldee:

Forgive me for being old-fashioned but I believe only people that go through the exact situation, as in, living in a country and suffering the exact problems associated with life in Nigeria should have the right to decide who they choose as the leaders.

For goodness sake, that's why diasporans(even those without dual citizenship) are allowed to vote in the countries they live in.
Those that have families back home?? Nah, they don't feel it as some living there would!!!
This is the same way some an NIN knows nothing about the ethnic glass ceiling African-Americans talk about.

And those with businesses?? C'mon!!!
Aight then, Richard Branson should be allowed to vote for AD cause his Virgin business has been affected by PDP decisions.

IMO, only people that have been resident in Nigeria within the last two years should be allowed to decide who leads the country. And this is really easy considering the fact the there's a Voter's Register.

Shaz:

I'm only stating that in order to make the best decisions, Nigerians abroad should go to Nigeria to have a real feel of the situation et al before voting. If Nigerians abroad really want to make a difference in government, they should also be ready to make some sacrifice.

Shaz:

I'm not against Nigerians abroad by the way, I'm also one. I'm also trying to be reasonable.

And my statement about understanding and experience, yeah, I know what message I'm trying to convey. For instance, you lost some money and I lost the same amount of money. I can understand what it is to lose that amount of money but there's no way I can know the exact way you feel because it is under different conditions.

Just as Nigerians experience the effect of fuel price hike, those abroad may understand (especially those sending money back home) but those that reside in Nigeria bear the brunt!

Just 'cause it is done in US doesn't make it right. Say I go to Nigeria next month and meet them voting and I'm not allowed to vote, I wouldn't mind because I've not been a part of the whole system.

Again, it's just my view.

Kobojunkie:

Anywho, I am glad that it also is done that way in Nigeria. Diasporans can vote in Nigeria. Land at the airport, cast your vote and leave.

eldee:

Forgive me for being old-fashioned but I believe only people that go through the exact situation, as in, living in a country and suffering the exact problems associated with life in Nigeria should have the right to decide who they choose as the leaders.

For goodness sake, that's why diasporans(even those without dual citizenship) are allowed to vote in the countries they live in.
Those that have families back home?? Nah, they don't feel it as some living there would!!!
This is the same way some an NIN knows nothing about the ethnic glass ceiling African-Americans talk about.

i_laugh:

these same diasporians will claim this will not work, this same diasporians will claim it is a total waste of money, these same diasporians will claim Naija is not their country - so, i still ask, why bother with them? why is the question, why?

must_a_far:

to vote in said country you have to be a citizen. a ghanian who has permanent resident status cant vote in nigeria until he becomes a nigerian citizen.

are you referring to the voters register that they compile right before every election. so tunji that breezed into abeokuta on the last day of registration can get on there.

Kobojunkie:

But not all persons who live in Nigeria today can vote in Nigeria. Not all diasporans can vote in the countries they live in. So are they also to be disallowed from voting in the country they hold citizenships of? What ethnic glass ceiling again? I thought that myth was shattered only last week? Or are we going to keep hearing of it?

Kobojunkie:

Like I pointed out in my post if you had read carefully, I was referring to Nigerians with businesses in Nigeria. Last I checked, Richard Branson is not a Nigerian, and hence, can not vote in Nigeria. Does that help?

debosky:

@ eldee

I would tend to agree with you, but knowing Nigeria and issues we've had in the past, anything apart from citizenship being the basis for voting will be very tough to manage. People already send their passports back to naija to get it 'post-dated' or stamped by customs officials. If they want to try that with voting as well, they can, so let's remove that extra level of corruption.

I doubt that large numbers of diasporans would vote anyways. If something doesn't affect you too greatly on a daily basis, you tend to care less about it.

JJYOU:

 for goodness sake it is only right.  my wife and i reside in the uk. she is a US citizen. she voted in the last US election with ease.  why cant i be able to vote against your theiving PDP if i choose? by the way i have family and financial link with nigeria.

eldee:

Every person 18 years and over that resides in Nigeria has the right to vote in Nigeria.
Exactly what I'm saying.
What separates Richard Branson from Tunji Philips that's been in the UK for 10 years but with a small shop in Lagos??

They both do not reside in Nigeria, they both do not pay their bills to the Nigerian government, they both make money from the country, they both have Nigerian citizens running the businesses over there??

Kobojunkie:


Tunji carries a Nigerians citizenship and hence has a right to vote in Nigeira while Richard branson does not.

i_laugh:

@ELdee

They dont care what happens back there, yet they scream all day all night about what goes on down there, so i ask again, why do we bother with them? what have they got to offer the country? nothing.

Shaz:

@Kobojunkie,

'Since Nigerians in Diaspora can vote, then we should be allowed to contest from here. We don't need to be in the country to know what our country's people need.'
I know you're in support of the above statement.

But what is the point of voting for change in Nigeria when you don't know what is there to be changed?

Shaz:

@Kobojunkie,

'Since Nigerians in Diaspora can vote, then we should be allowed to contest from here. We don't need to be in the country to know what our country's people need.' I know you're in support of the above statement.

Shaz:


But what is the point of voting for change in Nigeria when you don't know what is there to be changed?[/color]

Kobojunkie:

Now I am convinced you maybe do not understand the main post at all.

FACT
========
a) A Nigerian in diaspora can already vote in Nigeria. All he has to do is fly back to Nigeria, cast his vote and walk away. That is the legal way it is currently being done. So it does not depend on how long you have been outside of Nigeria or if you have ever been in Nigeria prior, as long as you are a citizen and are a registered voter, you are free to fly in vote and leave.
b) An 18 year old Nigerian who has never been in Nigeria but has his papers right can zoom in, vote and zoom out. The key is NIGERIAN CITIZENSHIP which allows for that to happen currently.
c) INEC has yet to Prove that it is ready to take on more responsibilities
d) A Nigerian in diaspora can travel back to Nigeria to run for office, and we know many who have and are currently enjoying Nigerias money as we speak


Now, what does all that mean. It means I don’t believe INEC is ready to handle this sort of project as I believe it is no where close to where it needs to be to handle such effectively.

eldee:

What I'm saying is that that emboldened part should be questioned. And since a court is ordering a new system where diasporans should be allowed to vote, INEC needs to look into how long a person's right to vote should remain.

eldee:

And for the problem of how to conduct it??
C'mon, embassies and high commissions will handle that easily. . .
It's just a matter of telling every diasporan to cast their votes at their nearest embassy, we all know how hard it is to rig over here

eldee:

What I'm saying is that that emboldened part should be questioned. And since a court is ordering a new system where diasporans should be allowed to vote, INEC needs to look into how long a person's right to vote should remain

And for the problem of how to conduct it??
C'mon, embassies and high commissions will handle that easily. . .
It's just a matter of telling every diasporan to cast their votes at their nearest embassy, we all know how hard it is to rig over here

Kobojunkie:

You mean they will handle it as easily as they have handled other issues? How close is your nearest embassy? Let me guess, you have one right in your backyard? Lol

Kobojunkie:

Well, be sure to ready yourself for a big fight cause diasporans with millions to sink into this will definitely fight back.
You mean they will handle it as easily as they have handled other issues? How close is your nearest embassy? Let me guess, you have one right in your backyard? Lol