Group Makes Case For Visa Ban, Travel Restriction For INEC Officials, Govs

A rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has called for a visa ban and travel restrictions for some Nigerian governors and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The group, in a press release signed by its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi, said the call is because of their contribution to the rigging of last Saturday’s presidential election.

The group called on several international groups and countries of the world to sanction those alleged to be involved in the rigging, alleging abuse of the rights of voters.

“We have identified 44 top INEC officials that vicariously or directly involved in the INEC in-house brutal rigging of the 2023 presidential poll.

“We have reported them to 31 key foreign missions in Nigeria, representing the world’s best and most powerful democracies.

“We also reported to the 31 globally respected democracies four conspiratorial Governors,” it said.

The group listed the INEC officials alleged to be involved in the rigging of Nigeria’s presidential election to include the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and 43 others, which included national commissioners of the commission and top staffers.

The press release by the group stated that the countries written were urged to “slam visa ban and other inter-country entry restrictions and block international engagements and recognitions in their names particularly those involving the National Chairman of INEC (Prof Mahmood Yakubu”.

The group also named four governors who allegedly colluded in rigging last Saturday’s election in their respective states.

“The vicariously or directly culpable four governors petitioned against for their conspiratorial roles in the brutal voter suppression, and INEC in-house presidential poll rigging are Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State.

“We sought that they be slammed with visa ban and inter-country entry restrictions involving themselves and members of their nuclear families, for their vicarious or direct involvement in gross human rights abuses and violations under their gubernatorial watch.”