UK’ll deny visas to Nigerians who disrupt 2023 polls- British High Commissioner
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, has said the United Kingdom, UK, would deny visas to Nigerians who disrupt 2023 elections.
Laing, yesterday, in Port Harcourt on her maiden visit to Rivers State, cautioned Governor Nyesom Wike and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi to cement their legacies on a positive note by ensuring peaceful 2023 elections in Rivers State.
On the expectations for Nigeria’s 2023 elections, Laing said: “2023 is not alright. What happens in the elections is very crucial, not just for Nigeria but Africa to the world. You (Nigeria) are a large democracy.
“It doesn’t have to be a perfect election. There would be problems, but we want it to be better than the last one. We want it to be secure, peaceful, the process should be run well and you need to get people to register”.
On her choice of candidates, she said: “My ideal candidates would be two younger candidates, both with female vice presidential candidates”, apparently referring to the two leading political parties.
To Wike and Amaechi on the next Rivers State governorship election, she said, “It is essential that there is a peaceful election in Rivers State, it is going to be a crucial part of his (Wike) legacy, how the election goes in this state. We’ve been saying the same thing to Amaechi.
“Another thing we will be doing is to remind people is that if people do incite violence or act violently, we will be prepared to deny them visas to the UK. We will make that statement clear and say it over again”.
