Senate to consider Diaspora Voting Bill this week – Sen Bamidele… 

The 10th Senate has assured that it will reconsider the Diaspora Voting Bill this week.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti), made this known during a virtual dialogue organised by Engage Diaspora Foundation in collaboration with the Directorate of Diaspora and International Affairs of his office.

Recall that the 9th Senate had in March 2022, rejected the bill on diaspora voting.

The bill had sought to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow Nigerians living outside the country to participate in the electoral process of voting and be voted for.

“Nigerian citizens in diaspora have shown tremendous interest in participating in the electoral process; they make considerable contributions to the economy through huge financial remittances to the country.

“Diaspora voting is consistent with global best practices,” he said.

In his presentation, Bamidele who was the Chief Host/Chief Speaker at the event, assured Nigerians in Diaspora that the 10th Senate would put in more efforts to pass the bill this time around.

The lawmaker further said the bill was already on the floor of the senate. 

“It passed the first reading and it was scheduled for the second.

“Definitely, I can assure you as the leader of the senate, we will be considering the second reading of the bill during this week,” he said.

According to him, when that is done, the bill will be referred to the Constitution Review Committee because the committee is chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate and the Vice Chairman is the Leader of the Senate.