The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Liang has demanded that the Labour Party should furnish it, with a list of persons whom it suspects would use violence to undermine the 2023 electoral process so the British government would take appropriate action against such.
Catriona said this while responding to the avalanche of complaints made by the Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Barr. Julius Abure, labour party by enemies of the party and democracy in Nigeria.
She said the government of the United Kingdom would be interested in the names of persons it suspected would cause trouble before, during and after the election, thereby undermining the country’s democracy.
“But if you are aware of anybody who has incited violence or certainly actually acted violently, we have used the visa program in the past and we will use it again to prevent that person from visiting the UK.
“So if you have any credible evidence of individuals that you can identify as having conducted violent operations or inciting violence, please do pass that on to us because we do act upon it and it’s concerning to hear the number of potential attacks on all candidates, Catriona stated.
She pointed out that all the complaints by Abure are very timely as “I think those are the key points I have taken from what you’ve said,
“We will raise it with the security partners. We are actually having a meeting with the entire community tomorrow on the elections. So this is very timely,” she stated.
National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barr. Julius Abure had told the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Liang that the condition to guarantee a united and peaceful Nigeria post-2023 general election would be a transparent, free and fair election.
Abure said tempers are already inflamed especially among the Nigerian youths who are only seeking the opportunity of a better Nigeria and the 2023 election offers this opportunity for them to make the right decision and vote for the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
He noted that however, the rate of violence that has been visited by the party and its members, some of whom have paid the supreme price, has called for a lot of reflection.
The Chairman said the youth population which recorded the highest in the last round of registration to update the voters register determined to ensure that a free and fair election that would reflect the will of the people forms the outcome of the election.
Abure said whatever the outcome of the election if it reflects the will of the people it would promote a peaceful and united Nigeria.
However, anything other than that, Abure said would leave a disturbing trail afterwards.
Sharing his thoughts on the implication of a compromised election that undermined the will of the Nigerian people in the forthcoming election, Ruth Catriona, said: “We are very desirous to have credible people-oriented Nigeria presidents. We believe very strongly that if the process leading to the election is free, fair, and credible, then of course, there will obviously be peace in the country.
“We believe that if the process is compromised and the process is not fair. Of course, there won’t obviously be peace,” he stated to the British High Commissioner Catriona Liang.
He pointed out that the party is worried over rumours that there are plots to delay the arrival of the BVAS a critical component of the election to its areas of the stronghold.
While the matter was a rumour it has reason to cry foul over such a rumour that threatens credible elections as such a move if carried out would frustrate the electorates in that area and ultimately undermine the process of the election.
Besides that, We have heard rumours that in most of the places where we are strong, especially in the southeast, and South-south, a few days before the election, they are going to deploy people to cause trouble, cause mayhem and deploy bandits to scare people from coming out to vote.
“Apparently, by the time they do that, the process will be compromised People will be afraid to come up to vote and if we have that kind of scenario, it will be very clear that the election is compromised.
Abure used the opportunity to call on the international community and the federal government to take notice of such a plot and avert it.
He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has demonstrated preparedness 1ppfor a successful election and the party recognized that, however, the challenges associated with the processes of collection of Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) required a deep reflection as there are classes of denial of voters to access their cards.
