The US government reiterated its position on Nigeria’s general elections in 2023, threatening to impose visa restrictions on politicians who incite violence or meddle with democratic processes.
The US had previously supported the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to implement the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results.
Speaking on behalf of the US Government in Abuja on Monday, Rolf Olson, Political Counsellor at the US Embassy in Nigeria, insisted that the US Government does not have a candidate for the 2023 elections.
Olson said, “It never ceases to amaze me how often we see comments, claims, and assertion from people in social and traditional media about what our supposed objective are in the elections, which candidate or party we favour.
“In reality, the United States does not support any party or individual candidate in this election cycle (or for that matter, in any other upcoming election). Our interest is to support transparent and credible elections that reflect the will of Nigerian voter, in a process that is conducted peacefully. Individuals seeking to undermine the democratic process may be found ineligible for visas to the United States.”