The All Progressives Congress (APC) Diaspora Chairmen Forum has urged the National Assembly Committee on Diaspora to clarify issues relating to inputs by Nigerians in the Diaspora during parliamentary proceedings.
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 for the Forum and Chairman, APC Scandinavia.
The statement was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
It was a communique endorsed by the Diaspora chairmen after an emergency virtual meeting on Monday, on the issue of rights of the Diasporas to send petitions to the National Assembly.
NAN recalls that controversy has 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 said 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.
While suing for calm, the Diaspora chairmen said the clarification was necessary to enable Nigerians in the Diaspora know their limitations on presentations to the National Assembly.
According to them, there is need for Nigerians abroad to be heard in issues that affect 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 the ground 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 an input 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,” they said.
They added 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 said Nigeria stood to gain more if the assembly allowed inputs from the 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 Mitcheletti (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), Chima Ibezim Italy (Chairman Italy) and its Emeritus Chairman, Tony Isama. (NAN)
