The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has ruled out the participation of Nigerians living outside the country in the 2019 general elections.
The election empire made its position known in a statement issued on Thursday by its National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, in reaction to reports making the rounds that the commission was planning to introduce diaspora voting in the 2019 elections.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that some section of the media had reported INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as saying that special provisions would be made for IDPs as well as persons living outside the country.
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However, Mr Okoye, who is the Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, refuted the report, saying that there was no instance that Mr Yakubu said a special provision would be made in that direction.
“Framework and regulation for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs was presented and validated by stakeholders at a conference in Abuja on November 12, 2018.
However, there was no reference whatsoever in the remarks made by the Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu or during deliberations at the validation meeting that special provisions would be made for IDPs outside Nigeria to vote in the forthcoming general elections, contrary to the said media reports,” the statement read in part.
