Ahead 2011 general elections, INEC is set to conduct pilot “Diaspora voting” in four countries to enable Nigerians living abroad to have the opportunity of participating in Nigeria’s electoral process. 

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, disclosed this in Abuja at the weekend while addressing stakeholders in the electoral process.

He said that the commission had concluded plans to conduct elections in four English-speaking countries, including Britain and the US.

“On Diaspora voting, all we need to do is to amend Section 77(2) of the constitution just to remove one clause that says only Nigerians resident in Nigeria can register for an election, not even vote. If we do that, that would be okay.

“We chose Britain and others for the pilot project because these are countries where we have many Nigerians and there would be no language problems,’’ Iwu said.

Responding to the move, Chairman of House of Representatives’ Committee on Diaspora Affairs Rep. Abike Dabiri-Erewa said the decision was apt because of the contributions of Nigerians living abroad to the country’s development.

Dabiri-Erewa said that with an annual remittance of 11 billion US dollars, Nigerians in the Diaspora were capable of mobilising substantial investments and development capital for Nigeria. (NAN)