We’ve evidence DSS, army intimidated voters, INEC officials – US

The United States Government says there is evidence that Nigerian security agents, including the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Army intimidated voters, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and even election observers during the 2019 general elections.

According to the US, this fuelled the impression that the Nigerian Army worked for the success of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The US further stated that the Nigerian judiciary was still susceptible to intimidation by the executive and the legislative arms of government, adding that there was corruption in the judiciary, which made it not to be able to function independently.

These observations are contained in the 2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in Nigeria released by the US Department of State on Wednesday,  a copy of which was obtained by Sunday Punch on Saturday.

The main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, in its reaction said the report had vindicated its position on the election.

National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, who spoke with one of Punch correspondents, described the position of the US as the “voice of the people.”

– Punch