PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday spoke in Paris, France, on why Nigerians in the Diaspora cannot vote in next year’s general election.
He also spoke on other issues while addressing Nigerians living in France as part of his programme in the country where he attended the Peace Forum along with about 70 other heads of government.
According to him, it would be difficult for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put in place structures to accommodate them with just about three months to the 2019 elections.
Noting that the increasing Nigerian population in the diaspora supports the calls for their participation in electing Nigeria leaders, he said it might not happen in the 2019 general elections.
The President said INEC had been more focused on strengthening and consolidating on its achievements to conduct credible elections within the country.
But he said Nigerians in diaspora would definitely participate in future elections.
Buhari said: “We want to secure the Nigeria votes first before we go foreign. We are going to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be more independent and viable. So, that they can recruit more committed and educated Nigerians to be in charge and use technologies to get the votes from all the constituencies.
“So, with the way the economy is now, I think with the elections in three months’ time, it will be very difficult for INEC and the government to organise quality survey of those that are outside.”
Responding to the question on education in Nigeria, the President said his administration is doing its best to invest more in infrastructures, education and other sectors.
The Nigerian elites, he said, disappointed Nigeria and the Nigerian masses under the 16 years administrations of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
According to him, so much waste went down the drain from the huge resources earned during the PDP administrations between 1999 and 2015.
He said there was nothing to show for the earnings, including the $16 billion said to have been spent on power.
He urged Nigerian elites, both at home and in the Diaspora, to do more in contributing to the educational sector, expressing surprise that the elites tolerated the fall in standards and structures of educational institutions despite the huge oil earnings.
“We are now trying to improve infrastructure and do more in education and other areas.
“We are currently reviewing investments in the entire infrastructure of the country like road, rail and power, including investing more in education. We will certainly need to do more in education,” he said.
According to him, return of stolen assets in some safe heavens would bolster the administration’s present effort of investing more in critical infrastructure that directly impact on the livelihood of Nigerians.
He said the war against terrorism would be reinforced with new weapons and hardware for the military
The challenge of abduction and kidnapping in some parts of the country, he said, would receive more attention with better gathering of intelligence.
According to him, God and technology in form of card readers and Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) won the presidential elections for him in 2015 despite not succeeding in three earlier times.
“We campaigned on three key issues; security, improving the economy, and fighting corruption, and we have not been controverted by anyone that we have not recorded some results,” he said.
Nigerian Ambassador to France Dr. Modupe Irele said the Nigerian community in France had demonstrated high sense of responsibility, dedication and morality.
According to her, the large number of professionals had been encouraged to also contribute to the country’s growth.
“Nigerians here are law-abiding, peaceful and resourceful,” she said.
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