U.S Secretary of State, Antony Blinken (file photo)
‘These individuals have been involved in intimidation of voters through threats and physical violence, the manipulation of vote results, and other activities that undermine Nigeria’s democratic process’
By Valentine Amanze
Nigerians, who sabotaged a fraud-free 2023 general election in the country, have been banned from entering into the United States (U.S.)
The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who disclosed this on Monday, declared that the affected individuals undermined the democratic process in the West African nation.
Though he did not disclose their names, Reuters quoted Blinken as saying:
“These individuals have been involved in intimidation of voters through threats and physical violence, the manipulation of vote results, and other activities that undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.”
The action is the latest in a series of visa restrictions imposed on Nigerian individuals in recent years.
Recall that Nigeria’s election tribunal, which began this month, had been accused of being slow on the oppositions’ petitions before it challenging president-elect Bola Tinubu’s victory in the disputed February presidential vote.
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Tinubu, from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, was declared winner by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), when he did not meet the required standard, forcing the most popular candidate, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to go to tribunal, alleging election fraud.
Both are asking the tribunal to invalidate Tinubu’s victory.
valoa2000@yahoo.com
