In another development, the Chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, has raised a fresh hope that Nigerians in the Diaspora would soon commence voting in elections, as he said that the commission will not relent in its efforts to make Nigeria’s electoral system more inclusive.
Jega gave this assurance when he accepted an invitation to INEC by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, to observe voting by Indonesians in Nigeria, as part of the Asian country’s parliamentary elections.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, said the Diaspora voting by Indonesians in Nigeria will hold on Saturday, April 5, in Lagos and Sunday, April 6, in Abuja, at the country’s consular offices.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, H. E. Sudirman Haseng, extended the invitation to INEC when he paid a courtesy visit to Jega, yesterday in Abuja.
Indonesia has a population of about 240 million people, out of which 180 million are eligible voters.
According to the envoy, the Diaspora voting is applicable only to the Jakarta constituency in the parliamentary election, adding that besides the parliamentary election, Indonesians will go to the poll for presidential election on July 7.
In his response, Jega noted that Nigeria has a lot to learn from Indonesia’s electoral experience.
