The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State, Natasha Akpoti, has said the visa ban on election riggers in Kogi State should be extended to principal officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
She said that this is necessary because of the ignoble roles they played in the Kogi election.
Among those she listed are INEC officials, security operatives, and judges.
Akpoti made the call in a statement on Tuesday to react to the United States’ visa ban on individuals who undermines electoral processes in the state.
She applauded the US government for its decision to place a visa ban on individuals who rigged Kogi elections and others.
She said, “No doubt, the November 2019 election has set back Nigeria’s democracy decades of progress backwards and I do hope this ban is limited not only to the individuals in Kogi State Government but principals of institutions who were saddled with the responsibility to ensure free, fair and safe elections such as INEC.
“This action goes a long way to validate all claims my party and I made at the courts with regards to the gross irregularities of electoral processes amidst violence to install Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi State.”
Akpoti said Nigerians should remember that the country doesn’t exist in isolation but as part of a community of third world countries whose actions shape her international relations with allies.
(Punch)
