U.S. Imposes Election-Associated Visa Restrictions on Nigerians

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The US has imposed entry restrictions on extra Nigerians for undermining the democratic course of throughout the African nation’s 2023 election cycle, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned on Monday.

“These people have been concerned in intimidation of voters by way of threats and bodily violence, the manipulation of vote outcomes, and different exercise that undermines Nigeria’s democratic course of,” Blinken mentioned in an announcement.

Further particulars weren’t supplied.

The motion is the newest in a collection of visa restrictions imposed on Nigerian people lately.

Nigeria’s election tribunal this month was to start listening to opposition petitions difficult president-elect Bola Tinubu’s victory within the disputed February presidential vote, courtroom data confirmed.

Tinubu, from the ruling All Progressives Congress get together, defeated his closest rivals Atiku Abubakar of the Individuals’s Democratic Social gathering and the Labour Social gathering’s Peter Obi, who’ve alleged fraud and have launched a courtroom problem.

Atiku and Obi need the tribunal to invalidate Tinubu’s victory, arguing that the vote was fraught with irregularities, amongst different criticisms. Tinubu, who is ready to be sworn in on Might 29, says he received pretty and needs the petitions dismissed.

There have been quite a few authorized challenges to the result of earlier Nigerian presidential elections however none has succeeded.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Modifying by Hugh Lawson)

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