The UK says it has started collecting relevant information to deal with those who disrupted Nigeria’s 2023 elections. The UK’s Secretary of State for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell MP, said that the UK will take action against anyone who engages in or encourages electoral violence or other anti-democratic behaviour. He said he was ready to take action including preventing people from obtaining UK visas or imposing sanctions under the country’s human rights sanctions regime.
“We can confirm that we are collating relevant information, with a view to taking action against some individuals,” the British High Commission in Nigeria said in a statement on Wednesday.
It said some public and political figures used inflammatory ethnoreligious language during Nigeria’s governorship and state assembly elections.
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“We call on all leaders not just to distance themselves from this kind of language, but to prevent those who speak on their behalf from doing so in this way.”
Also, they said members of its observation mission personally observed violence and voter suppression in numerous voting locations.
“We witnessed and received credible reports from other observer missions and civil society organisations of vote buying and voter intimidation, the destruction and hijacking of election materials and the general disruption of the process in numerous states including Lagos, Enugu and Rivers.
“In addition, we observed incidents of harassment of journalists. Freedom of speech and a free press are crucial for a healthy democracy, and journalists must be able to go about their work without being threatened.”
While explaining that the 2023 elections were not only important to Nigeria and Nigerians, they said the elections are also important to Africa and the world as a whole.
“As a long-term partner, the UK is committed to strengthening the ties between our countries and peoples, including by supporting democratic development,” it added.
cc: Daily Trust Ng
