Dele Alake, special adviser on media and communication of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), has assured that Nigerians in the diaspora will be carried along in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He gave the assurance at a pre-Democracy Day world news conference where he represented Mr Tinubu on Saturday in Abuja.

Nigeria’s Democracy Day is June 12. It is a day set aside to commemorate the restoration of democracy in the country in 1999, the day the military handed over political power to an elected civilian government.

May 29 was initially the official democracy day until it was changed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 to June 12.

Mr Alake said Ade Omole, the director of diaspora directorate of the defunct APC PCC, did a yeoman’s job to ensure the enthronement of Mr Tinubu’s presidency.

He said the unparalleled contribution of diaspora progressives to the success of the Tinubu-Shettima presidential ticket made possible by Mr Omole’s efforts was well acknowledged.

“I must convey Mr President’s gratitude to the diaspora and Ade Omole, mainly because he did a yeoman’s job in the diaspora towards the enlightenment of the actual voters.

“Through his efforts, Nigerians in the Diaspora registered as voters and travelled down en-masse to the country to demonstrate their commitment by ensuring they voted on election days, so we thank you very much,” Mr Alake said.

He said Mr Tinubu administration knew that Nigeria had diaspora voters across the globe who were blazing the trail in their various endeavours and were ready to return to the country to contribute their quota to its development.

“It is said that when you get to any place in a foreign land, and you do not find a Nigerian there, run away from that place; it means the place is not viable and may not be safe.

“Wherever that is safe, viable for work, investment, and education, you find Nigerians there, and then, the economic contributions they make regarding the transfer of cash back home is humongous.

“It cannot be wished away. You can not just throw it aside.

“With all of those factors and variables, this government will recognise the contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora.

“And they will be included in the government structure,” Mr Alake stressed.

(NAN)