Britain To Nigerian Politicians: You’ll Get Visa Ban, Assets Forfeiture If You Incite Violence
BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – Britain has taken a hard stance against Nigerian politicians who incite or execute violence during the forthcoming elections, warning that such politicians would get visa ban as well as have their assets in the United Kingdom forfeited.
This is just as it also said that two of its major worries are on security, not just on the role the police will play to ensure peace but about the role individuals may play by getting angry or militias being paid to disrupt elections.
The position of British came through its High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms Catriona Laing during the unveiling of the Election Situation Room of the Civil Society Situation Room set up by a coalition of civil society organisations to monitor the process of the polls in Abuja.
Laing further said that apart from the assets of such politicians being seized in the United Kingdom, they could equally experience a worst case scenario of prosecution.
In her words; “We will apply this absolutely across board not directed to any particular party. So, we are monitoring and looking out for hate speech.”
Expressing concern about the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rallies which have a lot of hate speeches, Laing explained that Britain will like to call those kind of things out.
She also said; “Another worry is fake news, that is why we rely on CSOs and we will work with them to get information.”
Also speaking, the United Nations (UN) Deuty Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, appreciated the CSOs for the launch of the situation room, which he described as a good work towards achieving credible elections Chambas noted that it showed that the groups were prepared for the elections and ready to monitor the voting process thus helping the UN with ideas on the process in the country.
The American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, who said that the special thing with the room was not just about what the CSOs would say and do but about what every Nigerian would say and do.
According to him; “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.”
Speaking in turn, the Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria, Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, said the work of CSOs over the last years gave hope that continued consolidation of democracy clamoured for internally could happen.
Also speaking, the Country Director of Open Society for West Africa (OSIWA), Mr Jude Illoh, said that though there a lot of apprehension about the election, Nigeria would overcome it just as he noted that Nigeria’s democracy had experienced good progress over the time.
He said; “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.”
In his own remarks, the convener of the Situation Room, Mr Clement Nwankwo, 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.
