US imposes visa ban on Nigerians who rig elections

The United States of America has imposed visa ban on politicians, who it determines to have undermined the conducts of the November 2019 governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States.

The spokesperson for the Department of State, Morgan Ortagus, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in the run-up to the September and October 2020 governorship polls in Edo and Ondo respectively.

 “In July 2019, we announced the imposition of visa restrictions on Nigerians who undermined the February and March 2019 elections.

“Today, the Secretary of State is imposing additional visa restrictions on individuals for their actions surrounding the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa State elections and in the run up to the September and October 2020 Edo and Ondo State elections,” the statement read in part.

The statement added that these individuals whose identities were not revealed, “operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and have undermined democratic principles” adding that the ban was in furtherance of its commitment to strengthening democracy in Nigeria