The US government has threatened to impose sanctions, including visa restrictions on anyone who interfered with the democratic process or instigated violence in the 2023 general election in Nigeria.
“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,’’ Olson warned.
He revealed that the US was impressed by the commitment, even-handedness, and diligence exhibited by INEC thus far in the election cycle.
The Political Counselor at the American Embassy in Nigeria, Rolf Olson, who stated this on Thursday, also expressed the support of the American government for the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results for the election by INEC.
Olson, who stated these at the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association Annual Seminar 2022 with the theme, ‘Promoting electoral integrity in Nigeria: Prospects and challenges,’ in Abuja, affirmed that the BVAS and the electronic transmission of vote results sheets were to ensure the integrity of the 2023 poll.
The United States said it had no favourite candidate and would not support any political party in the 2023 general election.
He said, “The United States does not support any individual candidate or party in this election cycle (or for that matter, in any other upcoming election). Our interest is in supporting credible and transparent elections that reflect the will of Nigerian voters, in a process that is conducted peacefully. Full stop.’’
The diplomat also expressed the disappointment of the US at the stream of “unproductive criticisms directed at INEC and its officials in recent months, and which only seems to have expanded of late.”
He added while nobody needed to forfeit their right to express legitimate concerns about the process or about the conduct of INEC, the rhetoric attacking INEC’s motives or overall competence is unhelpful.
Olson advised political parties, candidates, and their supporters to avoid language that tries to “guarantee” victory, adding that there is no true democratic election in which the outcome could be foretold.
Speaking further on the BVAS, Olson maintained that one of the most critical steps in conducting credible elections is confirming that the individual standing at the polling unit attempting to vote is who they say they are.
The BVAS, according to him, virtually eliminates the possibility of any systematic effort to replace real voters with impostors.
“It has not yet been used on a national scale, only in the off-cycle governorship and other elections in the past year or so and we encourage INEC to make every effort to provide the training necessary to ensure its smooth operation on election day,’’ he said
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus, Okoye, said that 176, 846 BVAS would be deployed in all polling units in the country.
He, however, said the commission would make available at least two BVAS devices as back up to each of the 8,809 registration areas.
Okoye said INEC is faced with the huge challenge of protecting its platforms and assets ahead of the 2023 elections.
