The Presidential and National Assembly Elections have been slated to hold Saturday, 25 February 2023.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has pledged support towards fast-tracking visa processing for international observers accredited and willing to monitor the forthcoming general elections in the country.
A memo by the office of the Comptroller General of Immigration (CGI), Isah Idris, and obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, ordered the concerned authorities to quickly process the pending visa applications, noting that "the presence and participation of accredited international observers have become an established norm in our national election exercises."
The memo, which was dated 17 February and referenced: NIS/HQ/CGI/149/11/189, was signed by M.M Saddiq, a comptroller of Immigration Service.
Mr Saddiq is a principal staff officer to the Comptroller-General of the Service, Mr Idris.
The memo reads in part: "I am directed to convey the Comptroller General's approval that all such pending visa applications are to be issued immediately, in the overall national interest, except if there is any cogent and verifiable reason for a local objection.
"In the event that there are any local objections or concerns, same should be brought to the immediate attention of the undersigned via saddiqmm2010@gmail.com for proper evaluation and final determination by the Comptroller General".
International observers
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved and invited some international and foreign organisations for the 2023 elections.
The Presidential and National Assembly Elections are slated to hold Saturday, 25 February.
The electoral body's list of accredited observer groups includes African Union, Commonwealth, ECOWAS and European Union.
It also approved 22 foreign organisations which include the African Bar Association, All Nigerian Nationals in Diaspora, Americas Empowerment Institute INC, Australia High Commission, British High Commission, Canadian Embassy, Democrat Union of Africa (DUA), Embassy of Antigua & Barbuda, European Union, amongst others.
