Contrary to rumours circulating around that the United States government has ” anointed ” a particular candidate in the forthcoming presidential elections in Nigeria, the US are said to have issued a strong statement affirming its neutrality and impartiality in presidential election in Nigeria.
The election which is just about 23days away has continued to gather attention in the local, national and international media with everyone remaining poised on who would be the next elected president of the most populous black nation.
On the heel of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant visit to the US, a country which he had been dared by the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) to visit, and his much celebrated acceptance and return to the country, there have been recent attempts to sell the narratives that the US government has adopted the candidature of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an action the ruling All Progressives Congres (APC) were said to perceive as a discreet endorsement of Atiku.
However, according to Saharareporters, the United States government has come out to insists it has no favourites ahead of the February 16 presidential election.
A statement by the US government on the forthcoming elections was said to read “The United States government does not support any specific candidate or party in Nigeria’s upcoming elections. The United States supports the Nigerian democratic process itself. We support a genuinely free, fair, transparent, and peaceful electoral process.
The statement continues to threaten that they would really consider harsh actions against rigging and electoral malpractices.
“We will not hesitate to consider consequences — including visa restrictions — for those found to be responsible for election-related violence or undermining the democratic process. Under U.S. immigration law, certain violations may also lead to restrictions on family members.”
The US government enjoined all contending political parties to sign peace pact to uphold peace and harmony before, during and after the elections.
Meanwhile, the Unites Kingdom has also reiterated its commitment to free and fair elections in Nigeria, maintaining that it would not support any candidate in the coming election. Theinformant247 gathered.
According to Saharareporters, the statement reads, ” We and our international partners remain committed supporters of Nigeria’s democracy. We do not support any party or individual and believe that the Nigerian people should be able to choose their leaders in an environment free from hate speech and insecurity,” a statement by the UK read.
The UK, however, declare support for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and key stakeholders to help deliver credible elections and peaceful electoral process.
In a similar stance to that of US, they threatened to take legal actions against anyone who wants to subvert the will of Nigerians in the elections.
“Our monitors will, in particular, be looking out for any attempts to encourage or use violence to influence the elections, including on social media. We would like to remind all Nigerians that where the UK is aware of such attempts, these may have consequences for individuals. These could include their eligibility to travel to the UK, their ability to access UK based funds or lead to prosecution under international law.”