Extend visa ban to wives, children of politicians who undermined 2019 polls – Frank tells US

A former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has appealed to the United States (US) to extend its visa ban on some Nigerian politicians to their family members.

The US had earlier in the week said it was going to impose visa restrictions on “individuals responsible for undermining the Nigerian democratic process.”

But Frank, in a statement on Friday, called on the US to ensure both the politicians, “their wives and children” were never allowed to enter the US.

He further called on the United Kingdom, European Union and others, who had prior to the 2019 general elections, vowed to ensure visa restrictions on any politician involve in election rigging, to fulfill their promises like the US.

He said, “I must commend the US for living up to expectation as promised before the 2019 general elections. The visa ban on yet to be named persons has clearly shown that the outcome of the last presidential election was manipulated.

“I urge the governments of the United Kingdom, European Union and other democratic nations to emulate the recent step taken by the American government.

“More importantly, the international community should show more interest in the ongoing election tribunal cases in Nigeria, most especially the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal and the Supreme Court. The U.S. government should not hesitate to sanction judges who dare compromise the wishes of the people as freely expressed during the 2019 general elections.

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“It is also important that the Chief of Army Staff and other military officers who took part in rigging the said election should not go free. They should be banned also to sound a note of warning to other military officers.”

The US did not mention names of the politicians the action will be against, but Frank said Nigerians politicians, especially those in the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), should apply for American visa, to see if their names are not in the list.

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