US Will Closely Monitor Nigeria’s January Presidential Election – Official
The United States has expressed concern over the possibility of violence during Nigeria’s forthcoming January presidential election, assuring lawmakers that it will closely monitor the electoral process.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, raised the concern during a congressional hearing on violence in Nigeria before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa on Thursday.
In his prepared testimony, Garcia identified the election as one of several challenges that could complicate efforts to address Nigeria’s security problems, warning that heightened political tensions could trigger violence.
“I am realistic about the challenges ahead. For example, Nigeria will hold presidential elections in January, which could spur violence,” he said.
He also highlighted the pressure on Nigeria’s security architecture, limited judicial presence in parts of the Middle Belt and inadequate resources as major obstacles to tackling the country’s persistent insecurity.
Garcia’s remarks came amid growing international concerns over attacks on Christian communities and Nigeria’s response following its designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) by US President Donald Trump on October 31, 2025.
During the hearing, US Congressman Riley Moore urged Washington to pay particular attention to developments surrounding the forthcoming election, stressing the need for close scrutiny of the process.
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“We need to be watching these presidential elections like a hawk. And I’m gonna be watching them, and we all need to be watching them,” Moore said.
Responding, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Riley Barnes, said the State Department had already activated its monitoring arrangements through a dedicated team responsible for tracking elections across different parts of the world.
He described Nigeria’s election as a high-priority exercise and assured lawmakers that the department would closely follow developments.
“I’m glad you raised that. We’re also tracking them closely. We have a team that, in my bureau, focuses on elections in many spots around the world, especially high-priority ones like this one. So we’re gonna be watching it very closely as well,” Barnes said.
The congressional hearing also examined persistent violence in Nigeria, particularly attacks on Christian communities in the Middle Belt, as well as measures being implemented by the Federal Government to protect vulnerable populations.
Providing further details on Washington’s engagement with Abuja, Garcia said the two countries were working through a Joint Working Group established following Nigeria’s CPC designation.
He explained that discussions under the framework focused on strengthening security deployments, improving responses to early-warning reports, ensuring accountability for perpetrators and expanding military cooperation.
Garcia added that the US expected Nigeria to demonstrate measurable progress in addressing the violence, noting that Washington would sustain diplomatic engagement and security cooperation with the country.
By PRNigeria
