Alternative Africa

Top Menu

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

logo

Alternative Africa

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
  • New study says Pfizer Covid vaccine may not be very effective on obese people

  • Nigerian president, Buhari to emulate 4 African leaders who publicly received covid-jab

  • Israel offers travellers tracking bracelet as alternative to hotel quarantine

  • Kenyan farmers drag govt to court over UK trade deal

  • Nigeria launches online registration for covid vaccination ahead of rollout

AfricaNews NowPolitics
Home›Africa›UK, US place visa ban on poll riggers in Nigeria

UK, US place visa ban on poll riggers in Nigeria

By alternativeafrica
January 25, 2019
736
0
Share:

London, Jan. 25, 2019 (AltAfrica)-The United States and the United Kingdom have warned that politicians, who instigate violence or are involved in electoral fraud, will be refused visas to enter their countries.

In statements issued by the US Embassy and British High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Thursday, both governments called for free and fair elections, announcing that politicians working towards scuttling the exercise would not only face a number of sanctions but would also have their family members face visa bans to the US and the UK.

The US Embassy in its statement, said, “The conduct of the upcoming elections in Nigeria is important not only for Nigeria, but for the African continent.

“The United States Government does not support any specific candidate or party in Nigeria’s upcoming elections but supports the Nigerian democratic process itself. We support a genuinely free, fair, transparent and peaceful electoral process.

Partnership that works: President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari shake hands during for a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

“We 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 US immigration law, certain violations may also lead to restrictions on family members.”

While making its own call and pledging support for the Independent National Electoral Commission, the British High Commission said, “We and our 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.

“We continue to provide significant support for the Independent National Electoral Commission and the the Nigerian civil society to help them deliver credible elections.

“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

Meanwhile, opposition political parties on the platform of the Coalition of Political Parties welcomed the decision of the UK and the US.

The coalition’s first national spokesperson, Imo Ugochinyere, stated this in a statement in Abuja.

While lauding the foreign governments for their decision, Ugochinyere described them as the true gatekeepers of democracy.

He said, “We, the opposition parties, are in full support of this decision by the UK and the USA, the true gatekeepers of democracy.

“On Monday, we will be releasing a list of 15 Buhari/APC associates involved in pre-election crisis.

“This statement from the UK and the US couldn’t have come at a better time. We have on many occasions reiterated the need for this visa ban on perpetrators of election violence and we are glad that finally, it is going to happen.

“For the past few months, Buhari and his APC-led administration have tried to create many pre-election crises by spreading fake news about the opposition in other to instil hate and unbelief in the minds of innocent citizens.

“There are many cases, from their rally of blood in Lagos where they sent goons to attack citizens, to the arrest of innocent activists, opposition politicians, journalists, and the recent baseless lie by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, that the opposition is plotting to commission bandits and Boko Haram to disrupt the 2019 elections.

“All these are few of the many election triggers done intentionally by the APC to create pre-election crisis, and we will unveil the culprits on Monday.”

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party and its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have thrown their weight behind the UK and the US decision to sanction anyone caught interfering with the elections.

However, the Social Democratic Party, which also supported the plan, said apart from violence and rigging, the foreign governments should add vote-buying to the list of electoral irregularities they would be on the lookout for.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, told one of our correspondents that the move was in the right direction.

He said, “While we want to commend the two countries for their interest in democratic process in our country, we also want to appeal to them to pay serious attention to happenings at INEC and the activities of its officials from the chairman to the last person in the hierarchy of the commission.”

He equally called on other foreign nations to beam their searchlights on the activities of security agencies and officials of the Federal Government.

Atiku, who reacted through his aide, Mr Phrank Shaibu, said he was happy about the action of the two countries.

He said, “The threat of the visa ban is a welcome development.  We have been advocating a free and fair contest where the people’s votes will count. It is the government of the day that has been jittery and their subterranean moves are in the public space.

“This election is a referendum on the performance of the incumbent and  you do need the services of a clairvoyant to hazard a guess as to what the outcome will be.”

In his contribution, the National Publicity Secretary of the SDP, Alfa Mohammed, said the foreign governments should also beam their searchlight on the electoral process as released by the INEC.

 Mohammed , however, said they should also “focus attention on vote-buying which the party in power is relying on as manifested in previous elections.”

SHARE ON:
TagsNigeria 2019UKUSVisa Ban
Previous Article

Nigeria: Atiku runs into twitter storm over ...

Next Article

Nigeria: CBN plans tougher bank capital rules ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

alternativeafrica

Related articles More from author

  • AfricaNews Now

    Update: Canada, UK terrorism experts arrive Ghana as police intensify search for two kidnapped Canadians

    June 6, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaNews Now

    Gabon bans European citizens after EU exclusion from coronavirus “safe list’

    July 2, 2020
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaNews NowPolitics

    Bill Clinton cancels visit to Nigeria over fears it could be politicised

    February 12, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaNews NowPolitics

    Nigeria’s top female presidential hopeful, Oby Ezekwesili quits race after party backs Buhari

    January 24, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • News Now

    A man with artificial manhood finally had sex with girlfriend at 45

    September 14, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • News NowWorld

    UK: Boy stabbed mum 118 times then called police to bring body bag

    December 15, 2020
    By alternativeafrica

Leave a reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You might be interested

  • AfricaHealthNews Now

    7, 882 new infections takes South Africa’s Covid-19 cases to 852, 965, 23,106 deaths

  • AfricaAfrikaTVAnne's DiaryHealthNews Now

    Punitive laws by African countries against people living with HIV/AIDS will only escalate the problem-Allan Maleche

  • AfrikaTVNews NowPolitics

    Africa Century Lecture delivered by Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

Timeline

  • March 2, 2021

    New study says Pfizer Covid vaccine may not be very effective on obese people

  • March 2, 2021

    Nigerian president, Buhari to emulate 4 African leaders who publicly received covid-jab

  • March 2, 2021

    Israel offers travellers tracking bracelet as alternative to hotel quarantine

  • March 2, 2021

    Kenyan farmers drag govt to court over UK trade deal

  • March 2, 2021

    Nigeria launches online registration for covid vaccination ahead of rollout

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Morocco begins regional integration by connecting Casablanca Airport with High Speed Train

    By alternativeafrica
    January 4, 2020
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Nigeria: 32,000 capacity Lagos rice mill to start production in 2020

    By alternativeafrica
    December 23, 2019
  • Ado zagi
    on
    January 12, 2021

    Nigeria: EFCC Academy to begin award of degree

    Diploma leave areply from
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack followed a ...
AlternativeAfrica.com is an independent Pan African News Website dedicated primarily to influencing the negative narratives about Africa. We hope to do this by focusing and showcasing the many developmental strides sweeping across the continent.

Read more >>>

Contact Info

  • info@alternativeafrica.com
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • New study says Pfizer Covid vaccine may not be very effective on obese people

    By alternativeafrica
    March 2, 2021
  • Nigerian president, Buhari to emulate 4 African leaders who publicly received covid-jab

    By alternativeafrica
    March 2, 2021
  • Israel offers travellers tracking bracelet as alternative to hotel quarantine

    By alternativeafrica
    March 2, 2021
  • Kenyan farmers drag govt to court over UK trade deal

    By alternativeafrica
    March 2, 2021
  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Macron in Ivory Coast to launch anti-terrorism academy

    By alternativeafrica
    December 21, 2019
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Ado zagi
    on
    January 12, 2021

    Nigeria: EFCC Academy to begin award of degree

    Diploma leave areply from
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...

Photostream

    Follow us

    • Home
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Contact Us
    © Copyright Alternative Africa 2019. All rights reserved.