Abuja

18/11/2019 - 13:23
Local Statements

DIPLOMATIC WATCH STATEMENT ON

BAYELSA AND KOGI ELECTIONS
We express our alarm at reports of widespread incidents of violence and intimidation, some of which
were witnessed by our teams in Kogi. There are reports of fatalities and people missing, including
INEC staff. Our thoughts are with all victims and their families.
The Diplomatic Watch deployed teams from Austria, the European Union Delegation,
Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States to the
elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states on 16 November.

We express our alarm at reports of widespread incidents of violence and intimidation, some
of which were witnessed by our teams in Kogi. There are reports of fatalities and people
missing, including INEC staff. Our thoughts are with all victims and their families.

We encourage all stakeholders, in particular political leaders, to call for calm and we
encourage security agencies to investigate thoroughly and bring perpetrators to justice.

We are also concerned by evident vote buying and credible reports of ballot box snatching in
both Bayelsa and Kogi.

We commend the commitment and resilience of voters in both states who came out to
exercise their democratic rights. We express our sympathy for those affected by the
violence, including ordinary voters; INEC officials; members of the NYSC; civil society; and the
media. All should be able to carry out their fundamental role in the democratic process free
from intimidation and harassment.

As long-standing friends, we have been present at every major election in Nigeria since
1999. We remain committed to working impartially with Nigerian authorities, INEC in
particular, as well as civil society to consolidate and deepen democracy.

www.eeas.europa.eu
Source URL:
http://eueuropaeeas.fpfis.slb.ec.europa.eu:8084/delegations/nigeria/70578/diplomatic-watch-stateme
nt-bayelsa-and-kogi-elections_en