Diaspora Nigerians Deserve Voting Rights, President Has No Power Over Land, Insists Falana
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the Federal Government to recognize the constitutional and economic rights of Nigerians both at home and abroad stressing that no President has authority over land ownership, and that Nigerians in the diaspora should be allowed to vote in national elections.
Falana made the remarks today during an appearance on Politics Today, where he addressed key issues of governance, constitutional power, and electoral reform.
He said the Constitution and the Land Use Act are clear that all lands in Nigeria belong to the people and are held in trust by state governors not the President. He noted that any attempt by the Presidency to control or allocate lands outside federal jurisdictions is unconstitutional and misleading.
According to him, “The President has no power over land anywhere in Nigeria. The Constitution and the Land Use Act are very clear land within a state is under the control of the governor, not the President.”
On the issue of diaspora voting, Falana emphasized that Nigerians abroad play a major role in sustaining the nation’s economy through billions of dollars in annual remittances, sometimes surpassing the country’s crude oil earnings.
“Nigerians in the diaspora contribute immensely to national development sometimes even more than crude oil, and it is only fair that they are given the right to vote during elections,” he said.
Falana urged the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to amend the relevant laws to make diaspora voting a reality before future general elections.
He also called on government authorities at all levels to uphold constitutional limits and respect citizens’ rights as part of the broader effort to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
