In a short tweet on Monday, the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, announced that the government of the United States of America had imposed Visa restrictions on the specific individuals even though it failed to disclose their names.
The United States says it has imposed visa restrictions on specific individuals who undermined the democratic process during Nigeria’s 2023 general elections.
In a short tweet on Monday, the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, announced that the government of the United States of America had imposed Visa restrictions on the specific individuals even though it failed to disclose their names.
Prior to the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, and March 18, governorship and State Assembly elections, the US government had warned it would impose visa sanctions on people who tried to undermine Nigeria’s democratic process in 2023.
In November 2022, the political counsellor at the US Embassy in Nigeria, Rolf Olson, had stated while speaking at the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship alumni association seminar that sanctions had been placed on persons who undermined Nigeria's election before and would be repeated in the 2023 elections.
“When we say ‘all’ Nigerians, we mean all: politicians, candidates, students, leaders of religious, traditional, community, youth and business organisations and entities – everyone has a role to play in this effort,” he had said.
“Even a small number of troublemakers can cause substantial havoc to an election. It takes a comprehensive effort to try to eliminate the use of violence and inflammatory rhetoric.
“Individuals seeking to undermine the democratic process, including through violence, may be found ineligible for visas to the United States.
“We have imposed visa restrictions in the past against those responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process, and remain fully willing to do so again in the context of the upcoming elections.”
However, shortly after the March 18 governorship election, US government urged the Federal Government and other relevant agencies to ensure those that aided voter suppression and violence are brought to book.
It maintained that it would consider “all available actions” against those who undermined the just concluded elections in Nigeria.
In a statement the United States Mission in Nigeria issued then, it had said it was deeply disturbed by cases of voter intimidation and the use of ethnically charged rhetoric during the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.
However, in a short tweet on Monday, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken confirmed the visa sanctions.
Blinken wrote on his official Twitter account: "We have imposed visa restrictions on specific individuals who undermined the democratic process during Nigeria’s 2023 elections.
"We remain committed to supporting Nigerian aspirations to strengthen democracy and rule of law."
https://twitter.com/SecBlinken
Meanwhile, Nigerian twitter users have reacted; while commending the government of the United States, they also asked the U.S. Secretary of State to name those specific individuals.
A twitter user, @olusola_vic replied: "Thank you for doing this!
"We are indeed glad to hear about this, but we will also be glad to let you know that the President-select doesn’t represent the wishes of the people of Nigeria and he’s a known heroine trafficker who forfeited $460.00 linked to drug trafficking,in the…"
https://twitter.com/olusola_vi
Another user @Abe_Kowo also wrote: "Thanks for sending a strong message/warning to the Electrion Tribunal Judges"
https://twitter.com/Abe_Kowo/s