Von Batten-Montague-York, a Washington-based lobbying firm in the United States, has pledged to recommend sanctions against Nigerian politicians and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) found attempting to manipulate or undermine the country’s electoral process.
This development comes amid increasing global concern over the rise in electoral malpractices in Nigeria.
In a statement shared on X on Wednesday, the firm said it will begin to identify and spotlight electoral officials and individuals involved in election rigging across the country.
It added that those implicated would be reported to the office of the US president and Congress, with recommendations for global sanctions, including asset freezes and travel restrictions.
“We will recommend to the Office of the President and Congress that Global Magnitsky sanctions be imposed on any Nigerian politician or official of INEC who engages in efforts to rig Nigeria’s ongoing electoral process,” it wrote.
“These measures should include freezing all foreign assets, restricting access to the global financial system, and imposing travel bans on individuals and their immediate family members.”
The firm noted that although the US State Department has acknowledged INEC’s institutional capacity to conduct credible federal elections, the commission has repeatedly demonstrated weaknesses when faced with deliberate interference by political actors.
According to the statement, these vulnerabilities were visible during the 2023 elections, adding that “current developments suggest the same pattern may be emerging again.”
Despite the US Congress currently being on Easter recess, Von Batten-Montague-York said it is already engaging key lawmakers with the State Department’s concerns and plans to brief congressional leadership and senior officials at the National Security Council early next week.
“Unlike the Biden Administration, which took no meaningful action in 2023, it is not in President Donald Trump’s nature to remain passive in the face of an election being openly undermined,” it stated.
The firm emphasised that its objective is to ensure accountability for any politicians or INEC officials who compromise the integrity of Nigeria’s elections.