Rafsanjani
Rafsanjani
CISLAC Hails US Visa restrictions on over Electoral
violence
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) commends
the recent historic move by the United State Government with
resultant Visa restrictions on electoral-related violence,
primarily to restore fairness, credibility and transparency in
Nigeria’s electoral processes.
We recognised the remarkable development as restoration of
fast-eroding democratic principles and core values in the nation’s
electoral processes, dominated by decades of unchecked violence,
vote buying and ballot lootings.
We express total support for the new policy, which has validated
the years of persistent demands by Civil Society, Human Rights and
Anti-corruption activists for stringent international measures to
discourage electoral violence that paves way for electoral fraud
and undermines democratic principles in Nigeria.
We are not unaware of lack of political will at all levels of
government to address electoral violence, in spite of the existence
of laws and reports from several Panels and Commissions, with
recommendations.
We also welcome the pronouncement by the United State Government
in anticipation of respect for sanity and sanctity of rules of law
in the run up to the September and October 2020 Edo and Ondo State
elections, and beyond.
We therefore, call on British and other Governments to follow
suit in the imposition of Visa restrictions to discourage electoral
offenders from using their respective countries as alternatives in
harbouring electoral crimes.
Signed:
Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)
Executive Director, CISLAC