As the governorship elections of Edo and Ondo States approach, American Government has again come hard on election riggers in Nigeria by imposing visa ban on all those found guilty of tampering with the democratic process in the country.
To show its determination to take a hard stance on election riggers in the country, US is not planning to punish only those that will be caught tampering with the oncoming elections in Edo and Ondo States which are just around the corner but has shown its hands by sanctioning even past culprits.
The U.S. Department of State in a statement yesterday, Monday, September 14, 2020 said some individuals are already being sanctioned for their untoward actions surrounding the elections which took place in November 2019.
The department's spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus , said the restriction also affects those who behaved inappropriately in the run up to the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo scheduled for September and October 2020, respectively.
"These individuals have so far operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and have undermined democratic principles,"Ortagus said.
Similar travel restrictions were imposed by the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo ,after Nigeria's general elections in February and March 2019.
The Department of State noted that the action specifically targets individuals and not Nigerians in general, noting that it's an expression of the U.S. government's commitment to end corruption and strengthen democracy, accountability, and respect for human rights.
"We condemn the acts of violence, intimidation, or corruption that harmed Nigerians and undermined the democratic process,"the statement read.
The U.S. government called on institutions and voters in Edo and Ondo to facilitate genuinely free and fair elections, and conduct themselves in an appropriately transparent and non-violent manner.
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