A coalition of civil society groups (CSOs), on Thursday, begged the United States of America (USA) and other European countries to publish the names of governors and other political office holders denied visas recently as a result of elections’ violence and malpractices in Nigeria.
The group, in a letter, addressed to British High Commission in Nigeria and Head of Mission, European Union in Nigeria, and made available to newsmen in Abuja, urged the American government to prevail on politicians to ensure free, fair and credible elections as Kogi and Bayelsa States are going into Governorship polls Saturday.
The letter, which was tagged: “Re: Visa Restriction on Individuals Undermining Nigeria’s Democracy and Elections and The Need to Apply Same in Bayelsa and Kogi States,” was jointly signed by Comrades Deji Adeyanju, Ariyo-Dare Atoye and Adebayo Raphael.
They said with the information available to the group, Centre For Liberty, about five governors and other top government functionaries were denied Visas last week.
Reading the letter before the submission to newsmen, Comrade Ariyo-Dare said the group’s plea is to the United State Government and its allies, including the governments of United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union to impose more stringent sanctions on individuals and officials responsible for undermining Nigerian elections and their families.
According to him: “We are aware that the government of the United States has profoundly demonstrated its resolve to place Visa restriction on some politicians and individuals responsible for undermining Nigerian electoral and democratic process, especially during the heavily rigged 2019 general elections, by making it a reality.
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“The action of the US government in this regard is highly commendable and we make bold to say that the people of Nigeria are indeed highly elated and grateful since the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari has deliberately refused to implement electoral reforms and rein in on violators of electoral rules and guidelines.
“Consequently, we wish to draw the attention of the US, UK, European Union and other development partners to the build-up of the forth-coming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa, scheduled for November 16, 2019, which is gradually assuming a worrying dimension. The plot to undermine the two elections are very real and there have been reported incidents of violence and killings.
“We are also deeply concerned over these two elections, consequent upon what transpired during the Presidential and other elections earlier in the year. It is pertinent to note that the Buhari regime and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) led National Assembly have deliberately refused to initiate electoral reforms and also reactivate the amendments to the Electoral Act which they stalled before the general elections in order to continue to create a sordid environment for rigging and violence.
“The reports of various missions, including the Republican Institute-IRI, the Democratic Institute, the European Union Election Observation Mission in Nigeria on the conduct of the 2019 General elections are the evidence that supports our concerns and call for a stiffer measure on the proponents of elections rigging. Your governments cannot continue to support/spend “waste” taxpayers’ money on elections that some unscrupulous elements in the country have continued to undermine.” He stressed.
He, therefore, urged them to beam their searchlight on Kogi and Bayelsa elections and spare no one including the leadership and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), their State Resident Electoral Commissioners or any National Commissioners assigned to conduct the elections and heads of security agencies.
“We hope that in the future the US, Canada, UK and EU will consider the seizure of assets and the foreclosure of business interests of Nigerians who actively undermine the nation’s constitutional democratic process. It is important for other partners to join the US in implementing the Visa restriction policy,” he urged.
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