America Condemns The Intimidation Of Voters In Lagos
On Tuesday, the United States expressed its concern about extensive instances of racially motivated voting suppression in Lagos during the March 18 gubernatorial election and warned that such behavior would not be tolerated.
Individuals like Musiliu ‘MC Oluomo’ Akinsanya and Bayo Onanuga, two of President-elect Bola Tinubu’s allies, have openly advocated for violence against Nigerians of Igbo ancestry in Lagos, claiming that Lagos is the country’s commercial hub and is the property of the Yoruba ethnic group.
Igbo ethnic groups, in particular, have no place in Lagos politics or governance, despite overwhelming calls for Mr. Onanuga to recant his perilous rhetoric.
Many voters were required to speak Yoruba before being permitted to access the ballot, according to thousands of Igbo citizens who said that political thugs loyal to the governing All Progressives Congress turned them away from voting places.
After his victory, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was reelected thanks to the suppression of opposition votes, called for peace and promised to work to alleviate tensions between different ethnic groups in the state.
The U.S. statement on Tuesday was in response to similar findings by other election monitors who said that the elections in Nigeria in 2023 fell short of the norms observed in other cycles in recent years.
The U.S.’s complete statement, which was made public, is below:
On March 18, Nigeria held elections for governor and state assemblies as part of the second round of voting. The unsettling incidents of violent voter intimidation and repression that occurred during those elections in Lagos, Kano, and other states gravely worry the United States. Members of the US diplomatic mission watched the polls in Lagos and other places and were present for some of these instances.
Particularly alarming was the use of racially inflammatory language in Lagos before, during, and after the gubernatorial election. We applaud all Nigerian political figures, religious and community leaders, young people, and individuals who made the decision to reject and denounce such violence and provocative rhetoric, reaffirming Nigerians’ dedication to and respect for the democratic process.
We demand that anybody found to have directed or carried out actions to intimidate voters and suppress voting during the election process be held responsible and brought to court. The United States will also take into account all options, including new visa restrictions, with regard to anybody thought to be culpable for or complicit in subverting Nigeria’s democratic process.
After the general elections on February 25, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was urged to make improvements to the voting procedures and technological components that had issues during that voting round by the United States and other foreign observers. Given that most results were made available on an electronic viewing platform in a timely way and that polling places often opened on schedule for the March 18 elections, there seems to have been a considerable operational improvement.
The United States reiterates its demand that any challenges to election results must follow established legal procedures and cannot be obstructed. Moreover, we urge Nigerians to cooperate as they take part in and maintain the strong democracy that exists there.
