[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 29 (Thursday, February 14, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1393-S1394]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CALLING FOR CREDIBLE, TRANSPARENT, AND SAFE ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Foreign Relations be discharged from further consideration 
of S. Con. Res. 1, and the Senate proceed to its immediate 
consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the concurrent resolution by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 1) calling for 
     credible, transparent, and safe elections in Nigeria, and for 
     other purposes.

  There being no objection, the committee was discharged, and the 
Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I further ask unanimous consent that the Menendez-
Risch substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; 
that the concurrent resolution, as amended, be agreed to; that the 
Menendez-Risch amendment to the preamble, at the desk, be considered 
and agreed to; that the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and that 
the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table 
with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 190) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to 
as follows:

              (Purpose: To provide a complete substitute)

       Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the 
     following: ``That Congress--
       (1) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to 
     supporting peace and democracy in Nigeria;
       (2) calls on the Government of Nigeria and all Nigerian 
     political parties and actors to--
       (A) take actions to facilitate credible, transparent , and 
     peaceful elections that reflect the will of the people and 
     advance the consolidation of democracy and the stability of 
     the broader region;
       (B) condemn in the strongest terms the use of speech that 
     incites violence, and refrain from efforts to demonize or 
     delegitimize opponents, sow division among Nigerians, or 
     otherwise inflame tensions;
       (C) seek to resolve any disputes over results peacefully, 
     including through judicial processes as necessary;
       (D) respect the impartiality of the Independent National 
     Electoral Commission; and
       (E) take measures to combat vote buying;
       (3) calls on the Government of Nigeria to--
       (A) refrain from deploying security forces in a partisan 
     manner;
       (B) ensure that security services maintain the highest 
     level of professionalism and impartiality in facilitating the 
     electoral process, enable accredited observers and 
     journalists to perform their work, and protect the right of 
     citizens to exercise their votes freely; and
       (C) enforce laws against election malfeasance, including 
     vote buying, and ensure equal and robust application of such 
     laws through appropriate mechanisms, including through the 
     establishment of an Electoral Offenses Commission and 
     Tribunal;
       (4) urges all Nigerians to fully and peacefully engage in 
     the electoral process, insist on full enfranchisement, reject 
     inflammatory or divisive rhetoric or actions, and seek to 
     resolve any disputes over results through the legal system;
       (5) calls upon the Independent National Electoral 
     Commission to sustain confidence and trust in its management 
     of the electoral process by taking effective measures to--
       (A) combat vote buying through voter education campaigns;
       (B) institute a nationwide ban on cell phones in the voting 
     cubicle;
       (C) ensure the participation in the election of internally 
     displaced persons (IDPs); and
       (D) clean the voter rolls and ensure timely production and 
     distribution of the Permanent Voter Card to new voters;
       (6) encourages political parties in Nigeria to adhere to 
     and enforce existing codes of conduct that commit parties to 
     democratic electoral standards regarding campaign use of 
     resources, engagement of voters, peaceful resolution of 
     disputes, and acceptance of verified and credible results;
       (7) condemns any efforts on the part of any politicians or 
     political parties in Nigeria to politicize the security and 
     law enforcement agencies;
       (8) encourages civil society organizations in Nigeria to--
       (A) promote the peaceful participation of citizens in the 
     electoral process and draw on existing inter-religious and 
     peacebuilding bodies to enhance their efforts;
       (B) disseminate information about citizen-based observation 
     findings and analysis to increase public knowledge and 
     understanding about the conduct of the elections; and
       (C) continue leading important early warning and response 
     activities to mitigate election-related violence, including 
     monitoring efforts to incite violence or further inflame 
     tensions;
       (9) supports efforts by the Department of State and the 
     United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to 
     assist elections preparations in Nigeria, including through 
     programs focused on conflict mitigation; and
       (10) calls on the United States Government and other 
     international partners, especially election-focused 
     nongovernmental organizations, to--
       (A) continue to support efforts by the Government of 
     Nigeria to address the remaining electoral preparation 
     challenges and identify gaps in which additional resources or 
     diplomatic engagement could make important contributions to 
     the conduct of credible, transparent elections; and
       (B) support civil society organizations and media 
     organizations working to enhance transparency and 
     accountability in the use of state resources around the 
     election period.

  The concurrent resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 191) in the nature of a substitute, was agreed to 
as follows:

                    (Purpose: To amend the preamble)

       Strike the preamble and insert the following:
       Whereas it is in the national interest of the United States 
     to maintain a strong bilateral relationship with a 
     politically stable, democratic, and economically sound 
     Nigeria that can play a leadership role in the region and the 
     continent more broadly;
       Whereas Nigeria has presidential and National Assembly 
     elections scheduled for February 16, 2019, and gubernatorial 
     and state-level elections scheduled for March 2, 2019;
       Whereas credible, transparent, and peaceful elections could 
     further consolidate democratic gains achieved in Nigeria 
     since the transition from military to civilian democratic 
     rule;
       Whereas a 2017 survey conducted by Afrobarometer found that 
     the overwhelming majority of Nigerians agreed that democratic 
     elections are the best means of choosing their country's 
     leaders, thus indicating that the country's citizens are 
     deeply committed to democracy;
       Whereas collaboration between civil society actors and the 
     international community was a key factor that contributed to 
     successful elections in 2015;
       Whereas successive elections in Nigeria have featured 
     varying degrees of violence;
       Whereas both the ruling coalition and opposition parties 
     have incited ethnic violence in an apparent effort to gain 
     electoral advantage, intimidate electoral rivals, and 
     suppress voter turnout;
       Whereas, during the Ekiti and Osun gubernatorial elections 
     in July 2018 and September 2018, respectively, there were 
     concerning incidents in which some elements of Nigeria's 
     security agencies displayed partisanship and a lack of 
     objectivity, which risks escalating tensions within the 
     country;
       Whereas Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission 
     (INEC) has taken important steps to improve electoral 
     processes, notably through the introduction of continuous 
     voter registration, the adoption of simultaneous 
     accreditation and voting, improvements to the secrecy of the 
     ballot, and the advancement of smart card reader technology;
       Whereas remaining challenges to the conduct of credible, 
     transparent, and peaceful elections in Nigeria include the 
     failure to enact additional, critical reforms to the legal 
     framework for elections, instances of vote buying, reported 
     security threats in the Middle Belt and North East, 
     incitement, and disinformation; and
       Whereas ensuring transparency in electoral preparations and 
     building public confidence in the electoral process is vital 
     to the success of the upcoming elections in Nigeria: Now, 
     therefore, be it

  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, 
reads as follows:

                             S. Con. Res. 1

       Whereas it is in the national interest of the United States 
     to maintain a strong bilateral relationship with a 
     politically stable, democratic, and economically sound 
     Nigeria that can play a leadership role in the region and the 
     continent more broadly;
       Whereas Nigeria has presidential and National Assembly 
     elections scheduled for February 16, 2019, and gubernatorial 
     and state-level elections scheduled for March 2, 2019;
       Whereas credible, transparent, and peaceful elections could 
     further consolidate democratic gains achieved in Nigeria 
     since the transition from military to civilian democratic 
     rule;
       Whereas a 2017 survey conducted by Afrobarometer found that 
     the overwhelming majority of Nigerians agreed that democratic 
     elections are the best means of choosing their country's 
     leaders, thus indicating

[[Page S1394]]

     that the country's citizens are deeply committed to 
     democracy;
       Whereas collaboration between civil society actors and the 
     international community was a key factor that contributed to 
     successful elections in 2015;
       Whereas successive elections in Nigeria have featured 
     varying degrees of violence;
       Whereas both the ruling coalition and opposition parties 
     have incited ethnic violence in an apparent effort to gain 
     electoral advantage, intimidate electoral rivals, and 
     suppress voter turnout;
       Whereas, during the Ekiti and Osun gubernatorial elections 
     in July 2018 and September 2018, respectively, there were 
     concerning incidents in which some elements of Nigeria's 
     security agencies displayed partisanship and a lack of 
     objectivity, which risks escalating tensions within the 
     country;
       Whereas Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission 
     (INEC) has taken important steps to improve electoral 
     processes, notably through the introduction of continuous 
     voter registration, the adoption of simultaneous 
     accreditation and voting, improvements to the secrecy of the 
     ballot, and the advancement of smart card reader technology;
       Whereas remaining challenges to the conduct of credible, 
     transparent, and peaceful elections in Nigeria include the 
     failure to enact additional, critical reforms to the legal 
     framework for elections, instances of vote buying, reported 
     security threats in the Middle Belt and North East, 
     incitement, and disinformation; and
       Whereas ensuring transparency in electoral preparations and 
     building public confidence in the electoral process is vital 
     to the success of the upcoming elections in Nigeria: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to 
     supporting peace and democracy in Nigeria;
       (2) calls on the Government of Nigeria and all Nigerian 
     political parties and actors to--
       (A) take actions to facilitate credible, transparent , and 
     peaceful elections that reflect the will of the people and 
     advance the consolidation of democracy and the stability of 
     the broader region;
       (B) condemn in the strongest terms the use of speech that 
     incites violence, and refrain from efforts to demonize or 
     delegitimize opponents, sow division among Nigerians, or 
     otherwise inflame tensions;
       (C) seek to resolve any disputes over results peacefully, 
     including through judicial processes as necessary;
       (D) respect the impartiality of the Independent National 
     Electoral Commission; and
       (E) take measures to combat vote buying;
       (3) calls on the Government of Nigeria to--
       (A) refrain from deploying security forces in a partisan 
     manner;
       (B) ensure that security services maintain the highest 
     level of professionalism and impartiality in facilitating the 
     electoral process, enable accredited observers and 
     journalists to perform their work, and protect the right of 
     citizens to exercise their votes freely; and
       (C) enforce laws against election malfeasance, including 
     vote buying, and ensure equal and robust application of such 
     laws through appropriate mechanisms, including through the 
     establishment of an Electoral Offenses Commission and 
     Tribunal;
       (4) urges all Nigerians to fully and peacefully engage in 
     the electoral process, insist on full enfranchisement, reject 
     inflammatory or divisive rhetoric or actions, and seek to 
     resolve any disputes over results through the legal system;
       (5) calls upon the Independent National Electoral 
     Commission to sustain confidence and trust in its management 
     of the electoral process by taking effective measures to--
       (A) combat vote buying through voter education campaigns;
       (B) institute a nationwide ban on cell phones in the voting 
     cubicle;
       (C) ensure the participation in the election of internally 
     displaced persons (IDPs); and
       (D) clean the voter rolls and ensure timely production and 
     distribution of the Permanent Voter Card to new voters;
       (6) encourages political parties in Nigeria to adhere to 
     and enforce existing codes of conduct that commit parties to 
     democratic electoral standards regarding campaign use of 
     resources, engagement of voters, peaceful resolution of 
     disputes, and acceptance of verified and credible results;
       (7) condemns any efforts on the part of any politicians or 
     political parties in Nigeria to politicize the security and 
     law enforcement agencies;
       (8) encourages civil society organizations in Nigeria to--
       (A) promote the peaceful participation of citizens in the 
     electoral process and draw on existing inter-religious and 
     peacebuilding bodies to enhance their efforts;
       (B) disseminate information about citizen-based observation 
     findings and analysis to increase public knowledge and 
     understanding about the conduct of the elections; and
       (C) continue leading important early warning and response 
     activities to mitigate election-related violence, including 
     monitoring efforts to incite violence or further inflame 
     tensions;
       (9) supports efforts by the Department of State and the 
     United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to 
     assist elections preparations in Nigeria, including through 
     programs focused on conflict mitigation; and
       (10) calls on the United States Government and other 
     international partners, especially election-focused 
     nongovernmental organizations, to--
       (A) continue to support efforts by the Government of 
     Nigeria to address the remaining electoral preparation 
     challenges and identify gaps in which additional resources or 
     diplomatic engagement could make important contributions to 
     the conduct of credible, transparent elections; and
       (B) support civil society organizations and media 
     organizations working to enhance transparency and 
     accountability in the use of state resources around the 
     election period.

                          ____________________