The Ebonyi Democratic Movement has petitioned the United States, the European Union and relevant European governments, seeking increased international scrutiny of political and security developments in Ebonyi State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group urged foreign governments to monitor the activities of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and other individuals it said could potentially be linked to political intimidation, electoral threats or human-rights violations.
In its petition, the organisation said the governor, his immediate family members and associates could face visa denials, travel restrictions or other lawful sanctions if competent authorities independently establish evidence connecting them to conduct that falls within applicable sanctions or immigration laws.
However, the group stressed that no individual should be sanctioned solely on the basis of family relationships, political affiliation or association. It said any decision to impose restrictions must be based on independently verified evidence, due process and the relevant laws of the country concerned.
The organisation’s concerns, according to the petition, are centred on statements allegedly made by Governor Nwifuru on June 15, 2026, and September 1, 2026. The group argued that the statements warranted independent scrutiny because of what it described as their potential implications for political competition, civil liberties and the conduct of the 2027 elections in the state.
It called on foreign governments and diplomatic missions to consider targeted measures against individuals who are credibly established to have participated in, facilitated or supported serious electoral violence, political intimidation or human-rights violations.
The group also appealed to diplomatic missions to closely monitor political developments in Ebonyi, preserve relevant evidence and establish appropriate channels through which victims, witnesses, journalists and civil-society organisations could report credible incidents.
The petition emphasised that the proposed measures should not amount to collective punishment of the people of Ebonyi State or members of any political party.
Instead, the organisation said any sanctions or restrictions should be directed exclusively at individuals who meet the applicable legal threshold based on credible evidence.
“The democratic choice of the people must remain supreme,” the group said, urging Nigerian authorities and international institutions to take preventive measures against electoral violence before it escalates into loss of lives and property.
The Ebonyi Democratic Movement concluded its appeal with a call for the electorate’s choice to be respected.
“Let The People Decide.”
