Rep Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, says the committee is working to ensure Nigerians living abroad are given the right to vote in 2011.

Dabiri-Erewa, who was a special guest at the 16th annual meeting of the Association of Nigerians in the Capital District, (ANCD) Inc, Albany, U.S., said her committee was committed to seeing Nigerians abroad exercise their franchise during the next general elections.

She said the committee was working closely with the House ad hoc committee on electoral reforms and the constitution review committee to ensure quick amendment of relevant sections of the constitution to enable them to participate in the electoral process.

``Nigeria belongs to all of us. You should be proud to be a participant and not an observer in your country.

``Your remittances back home are great and as such, you also should participate in the electoral process in order to put those who will deliver good governance as you all have here,’’ Dabiri-Erewa said.

The legislator said her committee was also working on a bill to establish a commission for Nigerians in Diaspora, which would cater for all the activities of Nigerians living abroad.

She said Nigeria was proud of its citizens abroad for making the country proud through their various activities.

Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians abroad to continue to contribute to the development of the country and advised them to carry the young ones along in all their activities, as they were the future leaders.

She promised that the National Assembly would collaborate with the association in the building of Nigerian/ American Community Centre in Albany, the capital city of New York.

Earlier, the National President of ANCD, Chief Edwin Kaliku, said the association was created 16 years ago to assist Nigerians and the community.

Kaliku said although the association was doing well with other African countries, ``we have not reached the goal of building a Nigerian/American Community Centre to serve our needs and growing children population.

``We still have the hope with your support, that one day, we all shall open the door of a Nigerian/American Community Centre in Albany.’’

Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, yestersday directed the commission’s Department of Estate and Works to carry out an immediate overhaul of all electrical fittings in the commission with a view to removing damaged wires.

A reliable source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Iwu gave the directive following a fire incident at the commission’s head office in Abuja on Tuesday at about 3 p.m. following power fluctuation.

The source told NAN that Iwu gave the directive after inspecting the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit that was affected by the fire on Tuesday.

Confirming the fire incident to NAN, the Director of ICT, Mr Emmanuel Akem said:`` Not much damage was done by the fire.

``The incident was as a result of power upsurge, when I sighted a smoke, I immediately mobilsed my staff who forced the office door open and the fire was put out with extinguishers.

``While my staff were helping , I called the Federal Fire Service (FFS) and they arrived promptly to assist in putting out the fire.’’

He said there was no critical equipment in the affected room and that the fire could not spread because of the way the building was structured.