If you had a hand in interrupting Nigeria’s electoral process – the presidential, National Assembly, governorship or State House of Assembly – the Untied States of America ahs a surprise for you.
The United States is considering available actions, which might include visa restrictions, to punish persons who attempted to interrupt the electoral process.
The March 18 gubernatorial and the house of assembly elections were not without their issues.
Although, in the last election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) made a significant improvement from the February 25 presidential election.
However, there were many reported cases of voter intimidation, violence and several acts to disrupt the electoral process.
The police promised to punish electoral offenders and charge them. Nigerians are waiting.
US Plans For Electoral Offenders
With all of that, the United States plans to punish individuals who carried out efforts to intimidate voters in the just concluded election.
The US Mission in Nigeria said that they were troubled by the acts of violence meted out to voters in the elections, especially in Lagos and Kano.
“Members of the U.S. diplomatic mission observed the elections in Lagos and elsewhere and witnessed some of these incidents first-hand,” says the US Mission.
According to the US, the use of ethnically inflammatory language before, during, and after the gubernatorial election in Lagos was concerning.
One of such persons that were linked to such statements is the embattled Oluomo.
Furthermore, the diplomatic mission called on Nigerian authorities to hold these people accountable.
You Should Read: Obi Calls For Release Of Arrested Social Media Influencer, Chude
It also wants authorities to bring justice to “any individuals found to have ordered or carried out efforts to intimidate voters and suppress voting during the election process”.
Also, the diplomatic mission says the US will consider all available actions against these people.
These actions may include additional visa restrictions, on individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Nigeria.
