Mr Auta Nyada, the Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Legal Education Committee, says Nigeria is not ripe enough for Diaspora voting.
Nyada said this at the Multi-stakeholders’ Forum on Youth Electoral Reform Priorities on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that although the idea of Diaspora voting had been raised by many groups in recent times, the electoral system was not matured enough to accommodate it.

Nyada advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to concentrate on addressing the loopholes observed in the 2023 general election and the other off-cycle elections rather than delve into Diaspora voting.

“Diaspora voting is actually a good idea, but for me, I don’t think that Nigeria has reached the stage for Diaspora voting, introducing Diaspora voting will require a lot to be successful.

“Nigeria is still struggling with the operation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and people are talking about Diaspora voting.

“We are witnesses to the malfunctioning of the BVAS in the 2023 general election, I think we should work toward rectifying the problem, instead of talking about Diaspora voting, ” he said.

Nyada said that Nigeria must put in a watertight technology before thinking about Diaspora voting.

“So many foreigners are getting the National Identification Number (NIN) in spite of the stringent regulations by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

“If you introduce Diaspora voting today in Nigeria, all black people in the world could decide to vote as Nigerians.

“We don’t have a watertight security system to identify genuine Nigerians from others, I think Diaspora voting is for future and not now, ” he said.

Nyada also called for the amendment of the Electoral Act to ensure that all election matters were terminated before elected officials were sworn in.

“You can’t expect me to have a control over the state power apparatus and still expect me to lose an election case in court, it is really impossible, ” he said. (NAN)

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has passed a Vote of Confidence on the party’s Acting National Chairman, Mr Umar Damagum.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the vote of confidence was passed at the NWC’s 584th meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ologunagba said the decision was based on Damagum’s efforts aimed at repositioning the PDP as the main opposition party in Nigeria.

The National Executive Council meeting of the party had be slated for Thursday to either affirm Damagum as the Chairman or appoint a replacement.

Damagum was appointed as the Acting Chairman following the suspension of the former chairman,
Chief Iyorcha Ayu in 2023.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Represebtatives says it must regain the presidency it lost in 2015, as the seat of power had “become our party’s birth right”.

Rep. Chinda Kingsley, the leader of the minority caucus in the House, said this while briefing newsmen after the third meeting of PDP lawmakers in Abuja, on Tuesday.

“We are going back, as we resume the session to commence a strong, virile and purpose-driven opposition to give the people a voice in the parliament,” the Caucus said.

The lawmakers issued a three-months ultimatum to the Federal Government to normalise the security situation in the country.

According to him, government must immediately take steps to ensure that the security situation in the country is normalised.

“We x-rayed the security situation in our country and we resolved that we can no longer take this situation where Nigeria is today almost tagged as ‘one life, one minute silence’.

“After three-months, the caucus will take further steps to sensitise and mobilise Nigerians to take their security into their hands,” the legislators said.

He said the caucus also agreed to call on all party caucuses, the board of trustees, national executive committee and the national working committee of the party to embark on reconciliatory measures.

This, according to him, is with the view to resolve all litigations that are pending and have hindered the party’s quest for a substantive national Chairman.

He called on leaders of the PDP to continue to demonstrate unconditional loyalty to the party and ensure that the party is placed where she enjoyed the position of the largest party in Africa.

He said that PDP members in the House of Reps were united, indivisible, committed and out to perform their duty as the watchdog on behalf of the Nigerian people.(NAN)