Nigerian authorities have yet to issue visas to scores of foreign journalists wishing to cover Feb. 14 elections, leading to accusations by rights groups that Africa’s largest democracy risks becoming another example of what they say is a trend toward increasing curbs on press freedom across the continent.
Many foreign journalists have had visa requests pending for weeks, as they seek to enter the country to cover campaigning ahead of the vote. Their applications have neither been accepted nor denied.
Officials in Nigeria’s foreign embassies, information ministry and other government offices insist they have no intention of barring journalists from the country but say they have no control over the country’s security services, which screen the applications.
“As far as we are concerned we are happy to have foreign journalists come and cover the election,” said an official in the office of Nigeria’s president who wasn’t authorized to be identified by name.
A foreign ministry spokesman also said some journalists may have submitted visa applications through incorrect channels. Both officials acknowledged a long backlog of unprocessed visas.
Press freedom in many parts of Africa has deteriorated sharply in recent years, the Committee to Protect Journalists says, as autocratic regimes from Angola to Zimbabwe erect obstacles to reporters, especially from covering elections.
In the case of Nigeria, authorities have increased monitoring of journalists in an effort, they say, to guard against any reporting they believe could inflame sectarian tensions. More than 800 people died in rioting between Christians and Muslims following elections in 2011.
The election pits President Goodluck Jonathan against a former military dictator, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who has promised to succeed where Mr. Jonathan has failed and crush Boko Haram. Opinion polls show the two candidates in a dead heat.
The New York-based CPJ said the credibility of the vote depended to a certain extent on whether foreign media could report on it firsthand.
“The legitimacy of Nigeria’s election depends in no small part on whether the international press is allowed to cover it,” the group said Tuesday.