The All Progressives Congress (APC) Diaspora Chairmen Forum has urged the National Assembly Committee on Diaspora to take up the clarification on inputs by Nigerians in Diaspora to proceedings and other issues.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Dr Philip Ideawor, Chairman of the forum and APC Chairman UK and Mr Lawal Ayoola, Spokesperson of the Forum and Chairman, APC Scandinavia.
The statement was a communique of resolutions endorsed by the diaspora chairmen after an emergency online meeting on Monday, on the issue of rights of Diasporas to send petitions to the National Assembly.
It could be recalled that controversy continued to trail a submission of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase that Nigerians living abroad cannot submit petitions over some incidents which occurred in the country.
Wase stated this following a petition brought in by Mark Terseer Gbillah, a lawmaker representing Benue Gwer East/Gwer west Federal constituency.
Wase, who sat in for Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila during Thursday’s plenary, rejected a petition filed by “Mutual Union of the Tiv in America” on insecurity in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba.
Gbillah, had presented the group’s petition bordering on resettling Tiv people displaced from their ancestral land through various attacks.
Suing for calm, the diaspora chairmen said the clarification was necessary to enable Nigerians in Diaspora know their limitations on presentations to the national assembly.
They emphasized the need for Nigerians abroad to be heard in issues that affects them and their families in Nigeria.
“As Nigerians, there is no harm in making valid presentations to the national assembly if and when necessary on national or any issue.Diaspora inputs in discussions should not be jettisoned on grounds that those making inputs or suggestions do not reside in Nigeria.
“The National Assembly is made up of lawmakers representing all Nigerians at home and in the diaspora and their opinions should be listened to and deliberated on.Making inputs is not tantamount to orders or directives. Petitions are looked into and suggestions from them can go a long way in resolving face offs and disagreements,” it said.
They said that the National Assembly should take a stand on the issue as soon as possible and come up with a legislation that should empower inputs from Nigerians living abroad.
They added that Nigeria stood to gain more if the assembly allowed inputs from Diasporas that would move the nation forward.
The communique was endorsed by Ideawor (UK) who chaired the meeting, Ayoola (Scandinavia) Mr Stephen Tella (Chairman, APC Spain) Prof. Adesegun Labinjo (Chairman, APC USA) Mr Charles Micheletti (Chairman, APC Ghana) and Barr Adefioye Hammed (Chairman, APC Ireland).
Others were, Mr Olalekan Ogunwede (Chairman, APC Germany) Mr Olanrewaju Balogun (Chairman, APC France) Mr Elias Ebone (Chairman, APC Canada) Prince Chima Ibezim Italy (Chairman Italy) and its Emeritus Chairman, Tony Isama
54330cookie-checkAPC Diaspora Forum Tasks NASS On Inputs From Nigerians Living Abroad
