The Social Democratic Party, SDP, governorship candidate in the Kogi State election, Natasha Akpoti, has praised the US Visa ban placed on politicians who engaged in election malpractices in Nigeria.

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, whom Akpoti lost to in the gubernatorial election of Kogi State, is among the politicians banned from entering the US, Sahara Reporters published.

In a statement issued, Akpoti said that the US Visa ban validates her claim that the Kogi State election was rigged.

The statement reads: ”The action by the US government goes a long way to validate all claims my party and I made at the courts with regards to the gross irregularities of electoral processes amidst violence to install Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi state.”

“To think the Supreme Court dismissed my petition as being flimsy and lacked evidence whereas all INEC result sheets tendered as evidence had no SDP on them; shows the depth of corruption and dishonesty of the Nigerian judicial system.”

“Nigeria should remember that she doesn’t exist in isolation but as part of a community of third world countries whose actions shape her international relations with allies.”

“No doubt, the Nov. 2019 election has setback Nigeria’s democracy decades of progress backwards and I do hope this ban is limited not only to the individuals in Kogi state government but principals of institutions who were saddled with the responsibility to ensure free, fair and safe elections such as INEC.”