The United State of America and the United Kingdom has warned that any one found guilty of election malpractices during the February 16 and March 2, 2019 elections may be banned from travelling to the two countries.
The embassies of the two countries issued separate statements committing to a free, fair and peace elections in Nigeria this year.
The United State Embassy statement said the conduct of the upcoming elections in Nigeria is important not only for Nigeria, but for the African continent.
It said the United States government does not support any specific candidate or party in Nigeria’s upcoming elections, but it supports the Nigerian democratic process itself. “We support a genuinely free, fair, transparent, and peaceful electoral process”, the statement said.
The statement said the United States and other democratic nations, will be paying close attention to actions of individuals who interfere in the democratic process or instigate violence against the civilian population before, during, or after the elections.
“We will not hesitate to consider consequences – including visa restrictions – for those found to be responsible for election-related violence or undermining the democratic process.
“Under U.S. immigration law, certain violations may also lead to restrictions on family members”, the statement added.
We welcome the signing of peace pledges by Nigerian candidates and their commitment to a peaceful electoral process. According to the UK statement, UK and its international partners remain committed supporters of Nigeria’s democracy.
“We do not support any party or individual and believe that the Nigerian people should be able to choose their leaders in an environment free from hate speech and insecurity”, the statement said.
UK said it would continue to provide significant support to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission and to Nigerian civil society to help them deliver credible elections.
It said it would also regularly engage with actors across the political spectrum to encourage them to respect electoral rules and maintain an atmosphere of peace and calm.
The UK High Commission further stated that it would “be deploying an extensive observation mission for the forthcoming elections, including coordinating with the EU’s Election Observation Mission.
“Our monitors will in particular be looking out for any attempts to encourage or use violence to influence the elections, including on social media.
“We would like to remind all Nigerians that where the UK is aware of such attempts, this may have consequences for individuals. These could include their eligibility to travel to the UK, their ability to access UK based funds or lead to prosecution under international law”.
