There is BIG fear in Abuja: Britain will revoke visas and seize properties of any politician that causes trouble during Saturday’s elections. Can I order a big laugh? If you check, Britain sent a similar statement in Kenya during the last general election, and after the election, the first place the “troublemakers” vacationed was United Kingdom. They went to the big stores and spent money! Nothing happened despite all the paralyses.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, has warned that Nigerian politicians who incite or execute violence during Saturday’s elections would have their visas banned and assets in the UK seized.
Ms Laing gave the warning at a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja to unveil the Election Situation Room of the Civil Society Situation Room set up by a coalition of civil society organisations to monitor the polls in Abuja.
She reminded political parties that apart from their assets being seized in the UK, they could experience a worst case scenario of prosecution.
Good people, the time to rely on foreign powers to help Africa has gone. Let us vote and demand accountability from our leaders through voting. I do not follow foreign election observers because they just come to see, and afterwards they fly out. Of course they put those meaningless statements.
Then, Nigeria will remain for all of us. When you recall that John Kerry, former U.S. Secretary of State, accepted a flawed Kenyan election, calling it “free, fair and credible” just for peace before the country’s Supreme Court cancelled it, you will understand where our hope will come from.
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Former US Secretary of State John Kerry termed as “extra-ordinary” the organisation of the IEBC after he visited Bomas and held a morning meeting with Mr Chebukati.
“The IEBC has done an extraordinary job to ensure that Kenya has a free, fair and credible poll. People will need to be patient, and we wish everybody well,” said Mr Kerry, who is leading the Carter Centre Observer Group
Britain: Nigerian politicians do not care if you revoke their visas or seize their properties in London. But NIGERIANS care if you can ask politicians for sources of income as they buy those properties. There are adults in Nigeria, and you can help by imposing on Nigerian politicians to get clearance from the Nigerian Police (specifically EFCC) before they pay for those London properties with stolen commonwealth.
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