Elections: UK Threatens Nigerian Politicians With Visa Ban, Asset Forfeiture

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The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, has warned
that Nigerian politicians who incite or execute violence during Saturday’s elections would have their visas banned and assets in the UK seized.

Ms
Laing gave the warning at a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja to
unveil the Election Situation Room of the Civil Society Situation Room
set up by a coalition of civil society organisations to monitor the
polls in Abuja.

She reminded political parties that apart from
their assets being seized in the UK, they could experience a worst case
scenario of prosecution.

“We will apply this absolutely across
board not directed to any particular party; so, we are monitoring and
looking out for hate speech.

“We are concerned about the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally which has hate speech a lot and we
will like to call that kind of thing out

“Our two worries
are on security not just on the role the police will play to ensure
peace but about the role individuals play by getting angry or militias
being paid to disrupt elections .

“Then, another worry is fake news (and) that is why we rely on CSOs and we will work with them to get information,’’ she said

UN
Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas,
thanked the CSOs for the launch of the situation room, describing it as a
good work toward the elections.

Mr Ibn Chambas said it showed
that the groups were prepared for the elections and ready to monitor the
voting process thus helping UN with ideas on the process in the
country.

The American Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington,
said the special thing with the room was not just about that CSOs would
say and do but about what every Nigerian would say and do.

“The
time has come for this outside world that cares so much about Nigeria to
listen to the people of Nigeria and to see what each of them do and
then forward the results to lift Nigeria up,’’ Mr Symington said.

Head
of the EU Delegation to Nigeria, Ketil Karlsen, said the work of CSOs
over the last years gave hope that continued consolidation of democracy
clamoured for internally could happen.

Jude Illoh, Country
Director of Open Society for West Africa (OSIWA), said that though there
a lot of apprehension about the election, Nigeria would overcome it.

Mr Illoh said Nigeria’s democracy had experienced good progress.

“We
have defied dictators, we have defied civil war and everything you can
imagine, insurgency terrorism everything thrown at us we are still
standing.

“I can tell you that the morning after the election we will be standing as a country, proudly Nigerians, ‘’ he said.

Clement
Nwankwo, the convener of the Situation room, said the situation room
would help monitor the election and give Nigerians information as it
came in order to guarantee free, air and credible elections.

(NAN)

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