The United States (US) Government has reaffirmed its stance on Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, threatening visa restrictions on politicians that instigate violence or interfere with the democratic processes.

The US had earlier backed the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results.

Speaking on behalf of the United States Government in Abuja on Monday, the Political Counselor at the US Embassy in Nigeria, Rolf Olson, maintained that the US Government does not have a candidate in the 2023 elections.

Olson said, “It never ceases to amaze me how often we see comments, claims, and assertion from people in social and traditional media about what our supposed objective are in the elections, which candidate or party we favour.

“In reality, the United States does not support any party or individual candidate in this election cycle (or for that matter, in any other upcoming election). Our interest is to support transparent and credible elections that reflect the will of Nigerian voter, in a process that is conducted peacefully. Individuals seeking to undermine the democratic process may be found ineligible for visas to the United States.”