The governments of the United States of America and the United
Kingdom have both vowed to sanction anyone responsible for electoral offenses in the forthcoming 2019 general elections in Nigeria.
In a statement released by the U.S. Mission on
Thursday, January 24, 2019, the government emphasised that it does not
support “any specific candidate or party in Nigeria’s upcoming
elections” but “the Nigerian democratic process itself”.
Noting that it would pay close attention to
the elections, the Mission called for a free, fair, transparent, and
peaceful electoral process.
It also disclosed that individuals
who interfere in the democratic process or instigate violence before,
during and after the elections would face stiff consequences, including
visa restrictions.
“Under U.S. immigration law, certain violations may also lead to restrictions on family members,” the statement read.
Campaign poster of Atiku Abubakar, a favourite to win the presidential election, and his running mate, Peter Obi
In a similar vein, the British High Commission
in Abuja reaffirmed its strong support for free, fair and peaceful
elections in Nigeria.
“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 read.
The Mission also appealed to “actors across
the political spectrum” to respect electoral rules and maintain an
atmosphere of peace and calm.
While disclosing that it would deploy
an extensive observation mission for the elections, the Mission said it
would pay particular attention to 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,” the statement read.
The campaign poster of incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Yemi Osinbajo
2019 general elections
The 2019 general elections will kick off with
the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 16 while
Governorship and State Assembly elections will take place on March 2.
A total of 84,004,084 are registered to vote in the elections.