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A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Emeka Ngige and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday, said the action by the United States of America and the United Kingdom to place visa restriction and other punitive measures, against politicians who caused violence or undermined democratic process in the country was desirable so as to instil discipline in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Governorship elections had been scheduled to hold in Edo State on September 19 and Ondo State on October 10, 2020.
The US government had announced travel restrictions on Nigerians who undermine “democratic process or organize election-related violence”
during elections.
Also the UK Government, in a statement by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, had also threatened to impose sanctions, including visa ban and asset seizure,
on Nigerians who incite or execute violence in the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
Ngige, in an interview with Insidebusiness.ng, said measures were imperative to curb electoral fraud and violence in Nigeria.
He said the action of the US and UK should, however, be balanced under international law and diplomacy, so that it does not involve interference in the internal affairs of a country.
He said, “There has to be a further enquiry whether such a move does not amount to interference in the internal affairs of a country, that is based on international law and diplomacy. On the other hand, on a personal note, we need some kind of pressure on our politicians to bring them under check in terms of violence in election and rigging.
A situation where innocent people are killed in an election calls for action by all and sundry, both within and outside Nigeria. To that extent, that action may be welcome but it has to be balanced against
the diplomatic norms and conventions, whether it will not amount to interference in the internal affairs of a country.
“In addition for them to impose sanctions on anybody, it must have been a person that the security agencies or Independent National Electoral Commission has identified as having been involved in an
electoral fraud or violence. It can not just be a mere observer group writing a report. It must be corroborated by security agencies and INEC.
“The bottom line is that there must be interrogation whether it does not amount to interference in the internal affairs of a country. Other than that, such a move is good to put our politicians in check.”
The Peoples Democratic Party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, also said the party welcomed the decision of the UK to impose Visa ban as well as seizure of assets and property belonging to those involved in undermining the nation’s electoral process, particularly ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship
elections.
It commended the UK for her quick response along the United States, in the global bid to stop electoral fraud.
The party further called on the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, France, Spain, Canada as well as African countries and the ECOWAS member-states to impose similar sanctions on perpetrators of electoral violence and fraud and their family members.
It said, “With the emerging global action, our party reiterates our call to other countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, France, Spain, Canada as well as African countries and the ECOWAS
member states to impose similar sanctions on these unscrupulous elements and their family members.
“Our party urges the world community to profile the election riggers and their agents in INEC and security agencies and ban their family members from benefiting from services from other countries of the world.”
It could be recalled that the US government had also in January 2019 placed travel restrictions on Nigerians involved in electoral violence. The action was against people alleged to have been involved
in corruption and electoral violence during Nigeria’s general elections in February and March 2019.
A US State Department spokeswoman, Morgan Ortagus had said, in a statement on Monday, that the new visa restrictions will affect individuals who have so far operated with impunity at the expense of
the Nigerian people and have undermined democratic principles.”
It listed four states in Nigeria as harbouring violators but did not name the individuals affected. Ortagus said, “We condemn the acts of violence, intimidation, or corruption that harmed Nigerians and undermined the democratic process. The visa restrictions will only affect certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people.”
UK’s High Commissioner in Nigeria, Catriona Laing, had also said that the UK greatly values the Nigerian democracy and thus will not condone any violent act that may undermine the democratic process in
the coming elections.
She said, “As a friend and partner of Nigeria, we are closely following the lead up to the off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states scheduled for September 19 and October 10 respectively.
“These elections are important, both as an essential element of effective governance within both states and an indicator of the strength of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.”
Laing, who had a meeting with leaders of the ruling All Progressive Congress and the PDP on Monday, cautioned the politicians that apart from their asset being seized in the UK, they could be prosecuted. She said, “The UK takes a strong stand against election-related violence and, just as we did in the general election in 2019, will continue to take action against individuals we identify as being responsible for violence during the elections.
“This could include restrictions on their eligibility to travel to the UK, restrictions on access to UK based assets or prosecution under international law.”
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