By Patrick Wemambu
United States will closely monitor Nigeria’s upcoming 2027 general elections, described as very important for Washington to pay very close attention to, US Congressman, Riley Moore, has said.
Moore, a Republican representing West Virginia, made the remarks in an interview with a television station posted on his social media pages on Sunday.
Asked whether the United States could do more to support credible elections in Nigeria, Moore said, “What I’d say is that we’re certainly going to be watching these results and how these elections unfold and how they’re executed. And that’s something that myself and the administration are going to be paying very close attention to.”
The lawmaker also disclosed that the US House of Representatives was considering an appropriations bill containing provisions relating to Nigeria, particularly on religious freedom and US security assistance.
We’re working on Chris (Smith)’s bill, which obviously I’m a co-sponsor of that bill. But I’d say, more importantly, what people need to pay attention to is the appropriations bill that we’re going to have on the floor today,” Moore said.
According to him, the proposed legislation contains “pretty strong and aggressive language” on Nigeria’s relationship with the United States.
There’s a lot of language that I put on that bill that’s inside of it that relates to Nigeria and the persecution of Christians and restrictions on security assistance to the government of Nigeria, and steps that they have to take.
“That bill’s likely to become law. We’re about to, hopefully, pass that here today. And so there’s some pretty strong and aggressive language in that bill that’s going to be binding as it relates to our relationship to Nigeria moving forward,” he added.
Moore said he would continue engaging the Trump administration on Nigeria-related issues and revealed he was scheduled to meet the US president.
