US Imposes Visa Restrictions For Democratic Process Infractions

The United States Department of State on Monday, September 14 announced that it was imposing visa restrictions on individuals who undermined the democratic process in the governorship elections of Kogi and Bayelsa States that held in November 2019. The announcement also threatened additional bans on persons who may threaten the free conduct of the governorship elections scheduled for Edo and Ondo States on September 19 and October 10, respectively. It will be recalled that a similar ban was announced by the United States Government on persons that interfered in the peaceful conduct of the 2019 Nigeria general elections. The State Department’s statement did not publish the names of the specific individuals affected by the ban, although it is believed that they have received direct communications on their ban. The 2019 general elections were characterised by violence, disenfranchisement of voters and serious abuses. In its report, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, a platform of more than 70 non-governmental organisations in Nigeria issued a statement condemning the conduct of the 2019 elections. In its report, the Situation Room stated, “It is our reasoned conclusion that the elections did not meet the credibility threshold based on the patterns of abuse of process and consequent lack of integrity observed.” Although the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Situation Room stated in its report that, “There are questions about the role played by the executive arm of government as well as other state institutions, such as the military and the security services, and their deleterious effect on the credibility of the elections.”