U.S, UK condemn Rivers election violence

The United States and the United Kingdom Embassies in Nigeria on Tuesday expressed deep concerns over reported breakout of violence and attacks on electoral officials during last Saturday’s re-run national and state assembly elections in Rivers State.

The embassies of the two governments said in separate statements in Abuja that the breakout of violence during the polls, particularly those targeted at electoral officials, and other forms of electoral irregularities, were totally condemnable and unacceptable.

“We condemn the use of violence and disruptions of the democratic process,” the U.S. said in a statement from its embassy in Abuja. “We call upon the leadership of Nigeria’s political parties to urge their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the electoral process.

“We call on those dissatisfied to pursue a resolution of their grievances peacefully in accordance with the rule of law,” the statement added.

On its part, the British High Commission in Nigeria said the UK government was disappointed by reports of violence, in particular against electoral officials and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“UK observers in Rivers state saw irregularities around the voting and noted the low turn-out of voters at polling units which was in part a consequence of fear of violence”, the embassy said in a statement by its spokesperson, Joe Abuku.

“The British High Commission urges the leadership of both major political parties to encourage their supporters in Rivers to behave peacefully and call on those still dissatisfied to pursue resolution of their grievances through the courts in accordance with the rule of law,” it said.

The exercise was marred by massive violence perpetrated by the supporters of the two leading political parties, the All Progressive Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during which about four persons, including a National Youth Service Corps, NYSC member, were killed.

Many other supporters of the two political parties were wounded amid reports of pockets of violence and ballots materials snatching by desperate political thugs.

-Premium Times