USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: NigerianID | RE: THE NIGERIAN DIASPORA VOTING RIGHT DRIVE - MANUAL PAYMENT

 

Dearest widowers and widows - those who weep at the death of their spouse Common Sense and my favorite & erudite beau, Mazi Neb Esq , increase the peace! Common Sense is well, alive, kicking and poised for the same issues that elicit ayes and nays.

 

JUI has said it all - so eloquent and practical that his piece preempted my planned write-up. He covered the salient points so I will not harp on them - but just to point to the substantiated necessity and feasibility of VOTING RIGHTS FOR AFRICA GIANT's citizens abroad.

 

As a member of Africa's Peer Review Group - Nigeria, Algeria, Senegal, Egypt and South Africa - that crafted NEPAD, Nigeria must be ahead of the thinking in engaging its emigre community as 28 African nations have, including the latest Cameroon that surprised her Diasporans by giving them voting rights with no advance alert.

 

Pursuing Diaspora voting right is not a tunnel vision enterprise that blinds Diasporans to other burning issues, neither does it rob the disinclined from their option of engaging in division of labor aka in their own prerogatives. So why should anyone try to defecate on a road as his or her own priority simply because he or she thinks the path is not worth traveling? That is not even civilized, let alone it being a civic calling. Sh*ting to disagree?LOL

 

Ironically, to the extent that addressing developmental issues may require interface with governments from local areas to the capital, your ability to vote strengthens your capacity to demand accountability for issues you care about; it facilitates public-private partnerships as your right, not an optional favor from any brat at home; your input would no longer be a token but constitutive in the process - if you know how to flex that right. AMEN.

 

Look at the Anambrans - right now their immensely popular missions from abroad compel government attention. Can anyone imagine the somersaulting that Senators Ngige, Uba, Gov. Obi to other judo politicos would be doing to listen to citizens abroad? As for earlier pioneer Zumunta people, they are accustomed to navigating the North with Diaspora gravity. That would be crystallized into balls.

 

Let me ask all of you who are relatives of Common Sense. Gubernatorial to presidential aspirants or their representatives fly abroad to canvass for support, political parties have their organs abroad but someone wants to tell other reasonable people that, yes Diasporans are valuable supplier of in-kind and material assistance in the political process but consideration of their vote is too cumbersome to be unnecessary? That is mumu-ism if only mumus are so compliant.

 

By the way, why must Nigeria Diasporans necessarily return to Nigeria to vote? Does it not undermine the dual citizenship that Nigerians already have? When individuals or cultural groups send money and other resources to propel development in Nigeria as a civic imperative, are their resources refused because physical presence is a prerequisite? Please, do not make Common Sense choke and die of unnatural pathology.

 

The argument that voting in the Diaspora is fraught with infeasibility is demolished by examples of other countries. The right to vote does not impose the exercise of same. The allowance for civic dispensations is not entirely hiccup free.

 

It is like saying I am not going to climb to the destination because I may fall. Heck, if you do not take the risk to climb you will never get there. How long are you going to sit down there looking up at the steps you cannot climb but you want to be up there? The metaphor of the step is a call to those whose only inhibition is doubt.

Mail in ballots to overcome geographical trekking can be effected just as people renew passports and get visas. Other logistics can be sorted out by using best practices - even in the US where citizens vote from abroad. All of these presuppose a genuine intent and will to make voting rights for Diaspora a reality.

On the other hand, if the infeasibility talk is used as strategic road block to negate Diaspora voting rights, that is an entirely different matter. Let the divide be clear. Those who say aye to Diaspora Voting Right, move on.

Where do I send my $1.00? I am not dissuaded by cacophonous inanities from colonially yoked and irreparably confused Nigerians babbling....are you a Nigerian? To that I say foolish, when Jonathan asked Cameron and whoever in EU and US to come strengthen ballot devices in Nigeria, are these people Nigerians? When African nations seek aid for "electoral process," you don't have the spine to question Queen Elizabeth's Commonwealth, France's Francophonie, the Portuguese Lusophone and other imperial raiders but you want to argue speciously on Yahoo!? You all qualify as practitioners of acute forms of mental suicide in your pigeon-hole world view.

Don't let me use my African audacity to table this thing!!!

Voting Right, move on......win or loose is not the point, trying with an objective is the courage of your right.

Let me go back to the last Day 3 in Charlotte, the Dems on stage. Boy o Boy, Baba Bill Clinton redefined the craft with a deftness as no other can.

Cheeeeeeers!

MsJoe

 

In a message dated 9/6/2012 4:02:15 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jbi8@cdc.gov writes:

It is uncertain whether some of us are suggesting that Diaspora voting abroad will be conducted like the elections in Nigeria, not by the standards abroad. May be some of us think we will use NEPA at the Missions abroad instead of the publicly available electricity in those countries. We should QUIT misleading people on this issue. These are the FACTS on this Diaspora voting issue:

First there are approximately 8 million Nigerian Diasporans that infuse over $20B into the economy annually; and this magnitude of socioeconomic strength constitutes a meritorious enterprise that should be actively engaged by all Nigerians, at home and abroad! In fact, the Diaspora community qualifies as the 37th State in Nigeria; therefore there is a moral and socioeconomic justice in the passage of a voting right bill which is in essence a step in the full official recognition of the Diaspora community as an integral segment of the polity;

Second, the realization of the Diaspora voting exercise in Nigeria actually fulfills the erstwhile aspiration of the Nigerian Govt to strengthen the biological bonds between the Diaspora and the Home-front to facilitate the long-term engagement, effective mobilization and utilization of the enormous expertise and resources in the Diaspora for Nigerian development.

Third, the fact that about 115 countries in the world, 28 of them African countries, are already practicing Diaspora voting for their citizens abroad, would imply that there is inherent socioeconomic benefits in the exercise; and since Nigeria cannot rank socioeconomically below the 28 African countries already practicing Diasporan voting, it means the cost/readiness argument of some of us is baseless, untenable and shortsighted.

Fourth, The socioeconomic benefits of Diasporan enfranchisement to Nigeria and greater engagement far outweigh any short-term cost consideration that led some members of the House of Reps to set down the bill previously. After all, only the initial infrastructures and occasional recruitment of Embassy/Consulate staffers for the periodic exercise will be the main issues; besides, the program can be initiated in few strategic nations in the Americas, Europe and Asia to refine the process before global expansion to all missions.

Furthermore, it is uncertain why Nigeria would be afraid to initiate a potentially beneficial program just because there are likely to be problems to resolve, even when 28 countries in Africa are already handling such problems. In fact, INEC has indicated that it is ready for the exercise once the relevant legislative amendments are finalized! The ambiguities, double standards and contradictory signals from some Nigerians on Diaspora voting rights may force some well meaning Nigerians and non-Nigerians to begin to wonder whether there are more insidious reasons for the apparent negative reactions by some Nigerians to the Diaspora Voting rights bill: for example, one may wonder whether some Nigerians nurse any fears that the Diaspora voting habits and pattern may better reflect the wishes of the Nigerian people during any given elections; alternatively, considering the enormity of the potential voting block from the Diaspora, the fear that it could make a difference in close elections may also stimulate these nervous impulses toward the bill. Let's hope these conspiracy theories are unnecessary! Take care. JUI

From: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Yeye Rolling
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2012 12:33 PM
To: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] RE:: THE NIGERIAN DIASPORA VOTING RIGHT DRIVE - MANUAL PAYMENT

 

So  your idea of doing something for Nigeria is to replicate failure abroad and further waste resources?   Come on!  Joe, a progressive Nigeria must begin to think in terms of effective systems and structures.  Is your idea of nation building to further waste ?  To pile rubbish expenditure upon rubbish expenditure as if there is no tomorrow?   Diaspora voting my foot!   

---

From: "Igietseme, Joseph (CDC/OID/NCEZID)" <jigietseme@cdc.gov>
To: "NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com" <NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 5, 2012 10:28 AM
Subject: [NIgerianWorldForum] RE:: THE NIGERIAN DIASPORA VOTING RIGHT DRIVE - MANUAL PAYMENT

 

The fascinating aspect of this response is that nobody has queried the inherent benefits of Diaspora engagement in nation-building, including enfranchisement. Even eating food has potential problems; you can gain weight and other negatives you can associate with food; food can be expensive to buy or produce; and food can be a lot of trouble to manage. But will all these negate the beneits of eating food? The answer is NO! So tell us something else; or just step aside and do what you can for Nigeria, while you allow us do what we can to contribute to Nigerian nation-building! There is ENOUGH on the menu for everybody to do for Nigeria. Take care. JUI

From: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Yeye Rolling
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2012 10:43 AM
To: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] RE: THE NIGERIAN DIASPORA VOTING RIGHT DRIVE - MANUAL PAYMENT

 

No!  The system is already disenfranchised and there is no need to export rubbish

1) It would require huge amounts of resource 

2) Votes will not count, its an exercise in futility

3) It will provide an avenue for Nigerians abroad and Nigerian politicians to export the soft of money bag politics to foreign countries.  Some unscrupulous Nigerian abroad will get rick quick.

---

From: dAme jOo <thepeoplessister@gmail.com>
To: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 5, 2012 9:33 AM
Subject: Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] RE: THE NIGERIAN DIASPORA VOTING RIGHT DRIVE - MANUAL PAYMENT

 

Hehehehehehe. Why would u want to disenfranchise your compatriots?

Saludos,

jOo

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 7:27 AM, Yeye Rolling <yeyerolling@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

I believe there should be a counter petition to this effort.  Once I have time, I will launch 

a petition to oppose Nigerian abroad voting 

---

From: "Igietseme, Joseph (CDC/OID/NCEZID)" <jigietseme@cdc.gov>
To: "naijaintellects@googlegroups.com" <naijaintellects@googlegroups.com>; "gabe.okoye@gmail.com" <gabe.okoye@gmail.com>; "asa-usa@yahoogroups.com" <asa-usa@yahoogroups.com>; "troni@orbis.net" <troni@orbis.net>; "batokkinc@att.net" <batokkinc@att.net>; "drsuleyakububassi@yahoo.com" <drsuleyakububassi@yahoo.com>; "bihemelu@aol.com" <bihemelu@aol.com>; "chiefudumeze@yahoo.com" <chiefudumeze@yahoo.com>; "igbounionatlanta@yahoogroups.com" <igbounionatlanta@yahoogroups.com>; "NigerianID@yahoogroups.com" <NigerianID@yahoogroups.com>; "IgboWorldForum@yahoogroups.com" <IgboWorldForum@yahoogroups.com>; "sujikolawole@gmail.com" <sujikolawole@gmail.com>; "kamal@todaysnigerians.com" <kamal@todaysnigerians.com>; "kanayo@annymotors.com" <kanayo@annymotors.com>; "ladeyemi@benicotech.com" <ladeyemi@benicotech.com>; "azkk@yahoo.com" <azkk@yahoo.com>; "salihumustafa@gmail.com" <salihumustafa@gmail.com>; "mjogundu1@msn.com" <mjogundu1@msn.com>; "NaijaObserver@yahoogroups.com" <NaijaObserver@yahoogroups.com>; "NigerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com" <NigerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com>; "obienweze@yahoo.com" <obienweze@yahoo.com>; "ayoojutalayo@yahoo.com" <ayoojutalayo@yahoo.com>; "monwuka@yahoo.com" <monwuka@yahoo.com>; "patrick.ibe@asurams.edu" <patrick.ibe@asurams.edu>; "piusadesanmi@gmx.com" <piusadesanmi@gmx.com>; "zpopoola2@gmail.com" <zpopoola2@gmail.com>; "Patokpala@aol.com" <Patokpala@aol.com>; "remigus1@yahoo.com" <remigus1@yahoo.com>; "rsoyombo@yahoo.com" <rsoyombo@yahoo.com>; "traji@aol.com" <traji@aol.com>; "sheguno@kinghavengroup.com" <sheguno@kinghavengroup.com>; "afolayansam@gmail.com" <afolayansam@gmail.com>; "enugbua@aol.com" <enugbua@aol.com>; "ayoola_lawal@yahoo.co.uk" <ayoola_lawal@yahoo.co.uk>; "stellauzogara@yahoo.com" <stellauzogara@yahoo.com>; "UmuAnambra@yahoogroups.com" <UmuAnambra@yahoogroups.com>; "yakubu.usman@yahoo.com" <yakubu.usman@yahoo.com>; "vanyeneh@sanbenitoco.org" <vanyeneh@sanbenitoco.org>; "waleojolanre@yahoo.com" <waleojolanre@yahoo.com>; "yshobowa@gmail.com" <yshobowa@gmail.com>; "ogbuonyeiro@yahoo.com" <ogbuonyeiro@yahoo.com>; "'nebukadineze@aol.com'" <nebukadineze@aol.com>
Cc: "talknigeria@yahoogroups.com" <talknigeria@yahoogroups.com>; "abujanig@yahoogroups.com" <abujanig@yahoogroups.com>; "nigeria360@yahoogroups.com" <nigeria360@yahoogroups.com>; "elewuoye@gmail.com" <elewuoye@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 4, 2012 9:26 PM
Subject: [NIgerianWorldForum] RE: THE NIGERIAN DIASPORA VOTING RIGHT DRIVE - MANUAL PAYMENT

 

Mazi Chief Gabe Okoye,

Please explore the feasibility of using the Western Union's check payment system [called WU Pay or eBillMe], as an option or in addition to telling people to send checks to NIDO. The WU Pay payment platform will be one of the payment systems on the  [www.ourvotecounts.org]  website [in addition to the credit card payment options. It will anybody who would like to use a bank account to indicate and use it; it will ensure that the funds are available to NIDO; and it may involve a fee; CALL WESTERN UNION! Take care. JUI [Note that IGNORED Mazi Nebu's  cynicism and distraction attemptbelow! Some of us think Nigeria can just be better overnite, GBOOSA]

From: naijaintellects@googlegroups.com [mailto:naijaintellects@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Nebukadineze@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2012 10:10 PM
To: gabe.okoye@gmail.com; asa-usa@yahoogroups.com; troni@orbis.net; batokkinc@att.net; drsuleyakububassi@yahoo.com; bihemelu@aol.com; chiefudumeze@yahoo.com; igbounionatlanta@yahoogroups.com; NigerianID@yahoogroups.com; IgboWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; sujikolawole@gmail.com; kamal@todaysnigerians.com; kanayo@annymotors.com; ladeyemi@benicotech.com; azkk@yahoo.com; salihumustafa@gmail.com; mjogundu1@msn.com; NaijaObserver@yahoogroups.com; NigerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; obienweze@yahoo.com; ayoojutalayo@yahoo.com; monwuka@yahoo.com; patrick.ibe@asurams.edu; piusadesanmi@gmx.com; zpopoola2@gmail.com; Patokpala@aol.com; remigus1@yahoo.com; rsoyombo@yahoo.com; traji@aol.com; sheguno@kinghavengroup.com; afolayansam@gmail.com; enugbua@aol.com; ayoola_lawal@yahoo.co.uk; stellauzogara@yahoo.com; UmuAnambra@yahoogroups.com; yakubu.usman@yahoo.com; vanyeneh@sanbenitoco.org; waleojolanre@yahoo.com; yshobowa@gmail.com; ogbuonyeiro@yahoo.com
Cc: talknigeria@yahoogroups.com; naijaintellects@googlegroups.com; abujanig@yahoogroups.com; nigeria360@yahoogroups.com; elewuoye@gmail.com
Subject: [Naijaintellects] Re: NigerianID | THE NIGERIAN DIASPORA VOTING RIGHT DRIVE - MANUAL PAYMENT

Do you people have a life? If you want vote, go home, to Nigeria and cast your vote there. Diaspora voting is not one of Nigeria's problems and its actualization will not benefit Nigeria or Nigerians by any means.

Are you not embarrassed that the president's wife was flown to Germany for treatment over a mere food poisoning ilness? The implication of that national deprecation is that there are no qualified doctors in Nigeria to treat her or there is not even a single medical facility, fit enough, to treat the first family. I have just learn that one of ours, the indomitable Godson Offoaro, just gave up the ghost in Naija after a brief illness-- an illness that could have been arrested in any society with functional hospitals. Instead of something this shameful and painful spurring you all into demanding immediate reform in the healthcare sector, you are here indulging in the foolery of wanting to vote for elections taking place in Nigeria while residing abroad.

Are some of you Nigerians really this stupid and selfish? Did anybody ask you all to exit Nigeria? Why must the poor Nigerians back home pay for you to vote (I am assuming that you folks are intelligent enough to recognize that your voting from abroad will involve money from FEDECO) even though you abandoned Nigeria at your own volition? Are guys like children who have eaten their candies but are still pestering their mothers for the same candies? Hello, there are always consequences for abandoning one's homeland; not being able to vote in an election from abroad is one of such consequences, face it like grown folks.

The money to be budgeted for you folks to vote from abroad can be channeled into healthcare and its benefits will avail to all Nigerians, a situation not applicable to your craving to vote from abroad. Have you guys imagined how much it will cost Nigeria to enable you to vote from abroad? For the votes from abroad to be legal in Nigerian elections, every Nigerian abroad must be afforded the same opportunity to vote -- it cannot be a situation where those in America, Canada, UK etc. are given the opportunity to vote while those in Gabon, Cuba, Afghanistan, and Somalia are denied such opportunity.

The assumption that Nigerians abroad are educated and enlightened is demonstrably suspect in light of the thoughtlessness with which they embark on self-seeking and ego massaging ventures. How can enlightened people be this childish in making self-centered requests when Nigeria has multitudes of problems whose resolution, with the persuasion of Diaspora Nigerians, will have instant positive impact on the populace? Can we put pressure on the government to fight kidnappings and Boko Haram to the zilch? Can we put pressure on the government to prosecute already identified corrupt elements within the society? Can we influence public policies on education, agriculture, electricity generation, infrastructure rehabilitation, civil rights, child abuse and women's health, etc? Will success in any or all of the above mentioned areas (and those not mentioned) not make Nigeria a better place for our peoples and also a more inviting place for us to return?

If you have not learned to be altruistic in all your sojourning abroad so far, then you are worse than those whose greediness and incompetence have ruined Nigeria. Voting from abroad is not a constitutional right of yours. If you had a right to vote in a Nigerian election, you traded that right with your wilful decision to exit Nigeria. It is selfish and nonchalant of you to ask Nigerians who stayed home to pay for you to vote from abroad. Americans vote from abroad because their government sent most of them abroad (as diplomats, soldiers, peace corps, CIA, venture capitalists whose success directly impacts the American economy, etc.). The United States has the wherewithal to extend voting privileges to most Americans abroad; Nigeria can't.

Let us act like educated people, folks. Some among us shamed themselves with a similar self-seeking Diaspora Village land acquisition madness. Diaspora voting drive is another self-seeking madness that has nothing to do with ameliorating the maladies in our land. When will you, Diaspora Nigerians, start altruistic drives? Enough of your ego trips, folks. Progressive Diaspora Nigerians must not honor this foolish convocation, Diaspora Voting Right Drive, authored by appendages of those who have ruined Nigeria. They are not patriots, they don't care about Nigeria, and they are merely saying, "we want to grab our own piece of Nigeria from abroad". If you are a progressive who cares about Nigerians, work toward making Nigeria better for our peoples and so that we can return to her.

Say no to Diaspora voting right drive; it is anti-Nigerians.

Nebukadineze Adiele
Organized religion sired irrationality.

In a message dated 9/4/2012 8:11:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, gabe.okoye@gmail.com writes:

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It has come to our attention through numerous phone calls that some us in the Diaspora may not be well versed in using either their credit cards, or debit cards to complete signing the petition at our website,  www.ourvotecounts.org. Therefore, for everyone in the USA/Canada who is unable to use his/her credit/debit card or do not have a paypal account, PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER AND COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE and send your check of at least one dollar ($1.00) to the following address:

Nigerian Diaspora Votes, Inc

P. O. Box 395

Grayson, GA 30017 

Please make your check payable to: Nigerian Diaspora Votes, Inc.

For everyone else please use our very user-friendly website, www.ourvotecounts.org to sign the petition.  Remember, it is only our generation, who understands both Nigeria and America well, that can make this fundamental right possible for our children. Once this generation passes on, that opportunity will be lost forever. Do not procrastinate any further.  Let's make it happen, sign the petition at www.ourvotecounts.org. 

NOTE: DO NOT FORGET TO SIGN UP YOUR SPOUSES AND YOUR CHILDREN WHO ARE 18 YEARS AND OLDER.

Chief Gabe Okoye

Diaspora Voting Right Implementation Committee

Secretary, Board of Directors, Nigerians in Diaspora Organization - Americas (NIDOA)   

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