HURIWA urges United States, others to sanction president, government officials

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany and Australia to slam diplomatic sanctions, including travel bans, on President Muhammadu Buhari and his top officials.

The pro-democracy and non-governmental organisation also urged the government to demonstrate transparent willingness to allow free, fair and peaceful conduct of the general elections by an independent electoral arbiter.
HURIWA accused Buhari of hijacking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by supplanting his niece, Mrs. Amina Zakari, to take charge of the collation of presidential poll results.

Through its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and national media affairs director, Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA condemned the presidency for the “irrational, illogical, unsound and unbridled response” it gave to the international community in the wake of the series of diplomatic statements over Walter Onnoghen’s removal as Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and his replacement with Tanko Mohammed, handpicked by the presidency few days to the polls.

It said the statements would undermine the credibility of the coming elections.For failing to listen to the international community, HURIWA called for “diplomatic sanctions such as comprehensive travel ban on President Buhari and his close officials until he restores Justice Onnoghen to his position and shows evidence of his willingness to stop his serial undermining of the democratic authorities.”

HURIWA, however, urged world leaders to maintain the tempo of international pressure, for Buhari not to destabilise the country and create spectacular refugee crisis for Africa because the country might witness cocktail of violence that may spiral out of control, if the election is rigged.