,,iii #aaf? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #a ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,janu>y #af1 #bjai,mr4 ,m55dez 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,isakson1 ,mr4 ,boozman1 ,mr4 ,c>d91 & ,mr4 ,coons7 submitt$ ! foll[+ concurr5t resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign ,relations ,,concurr5t ,,resolution ,call+ = cr$ible1 transp>5t1 & safe elections 9 ,nig]ia1 & = o!r purposes4 ,:]eas x is 9 ! national int]e/ ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to ma9ta9 a /rong bilat]al relation%ip ) a politically /able1 democratic1 & economically s\nd ,nig]ia t c play a lead]%ip role 9 ! region & ! cont95t m broadly2 ,:]eas ,nig]ia has presid5tial elections s*$ul$ = ,febru>y #af1 #bjai1 & gub]natorial & ,national ,assembly elections s*$ul$ = ,m>* #b1 #bjai2 ,:]eas cr$ible elections c\ld fur!r consolidate democratic ga9s a*iev$ 9 ,nig]ia ov] ! la/ two decades s9ce ! transition f milit>y to civilian democratic rule2 ,:]eas a #bjag survey conduct$ by ,afrob>omet] f\nd t #gb p]c5t ( ,nig]ians agre$ t democratic elections are ! be/ means ( *oos+ _! c\ntry's lead]s1 ?us indicat+ t ! c\ntry's citiz5s are deeply committ$ to democracy2 ,:]eas collaboration betwe5 civil society actors & ! int]national community 0 a key factor t contribut$ to successful elections 9 #bjae2 ,:]eas successive elections 9 ,nig]ia h featur$ v>y+ degrees ( viol5ce2 ,:]eas !re h be5 deeply conc]n+ in/ances ( incitem5t to viol5ce 9 ,nig]ia by memb]s ( bo? ! rul+ coalition & ! opposition incit+ support]s to e?nic viol5ce z a means by :i* to ga9 electoral advantage1 intimidate electoral rivals1 or suppress vot] turn\t2 ,:]eas1 dur+ ! ,ekiti & ,osun gub]natorial elections 9 ,july #bjah & ,septemb] #bjah1 respectively1 !re 7 conc]n+ incid5ts 9 :i* "s elem5ts ( ,nig]ia's security ag5cies display$ p>tisan%ip & a lack ( objectivity1 :i* risks escalat+ t5sions )9 ! c\ntry2 ,:]eas ,nig]ia's ,indep5d5t ,national ,electoral ,commission 7,,inec7 has improv$ ! vot+ process1 notably ?r\gh ! introduction ( cont9u\s vot] regi/ration1 ! adoption ( simultane\s accr$itation & vot+1 improvem5ts to ! secrecy ( ! ballot1 & ! advancem5t ( sm>t c>d read] te*nology2 ,:]eas ! /atem5t ( ! ,septemb] #bjah ,jo9t ,national ,democratic ,in/itute_/,int]national ,republican ,in/itute ,pre-,election ,assessm5t ,mission to ,nig]ia cit$ rema9+ *all5ges & conc]ns su* z delays 9 f9aliz+ ! legal framework = ! elections1 delay$ release ( funds = ! elections1 security ?reats 9 ! ,middle ,belt & ,nor? ,ea/1 in/ances ( vote-buy+1 & incitem5t to viol5ce & dis9=mation2 & ,:]eas ensur+ transp>5cy 9 electoral prep>ations & build+ public confid5ce 9 ! electoral process is vital = ! success ( ! upcom+ elections 9 ,nig]ia3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 reaffirms t ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates w cont9ue to /& ) ! p ( ,nig]ia 9 support ( peace & democracy2 7#b7 calls on ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,nig]ia & all political p>ties & actors to-- 7,a7 take actions to facilitate elections t are cr$ible1 transp>5t1 & peaceful 9 ord] to support ! w ( ! p & advance ! consolidation ( democracy & ! /ability ( ! broad] region2 7,b7 condemn 9 ! /ronge/ t]ms ! use ( spee* t incites to viol5ce1 & refra9 f any rhetoric or action t seeks to demonize or delegitimize oppon5ts1 s[ division among ,nig]ians1 or o!rwise inflame t5sions2 7,c7 seek to resolve any disputes ov] results peacefully1 includ+ ?r\gh ! legal sy/em z necess>y2 & 7,d7 respect ! imp>tiality ( ! ,indep5d5t ,national ,electoral ,commission2 7#c7 calls on ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,nig]ia to-- 7,a7 refra9 f deploy+ security =ces 9 a p>tisan mann]2 7,b7 ensure t security s]vices ma9ta9 ! highe/ level ( pr(essionalism & imp>tiality 9 facilitat+ ! electoral process1 enable accr$it$ obs]v]s & j\rnali/s to p]=m _! "w1 & protect ! "r ( citiz5s to ex]cise _! votes freely2 7,c7 move exp$iti\sly to f9alize ! propos$ re=ms to ! legal framework = ! #bjai elections2 & 7,d7 en=ce laws aga9/ election malfeasance1 includ+ vote buy+1 & ensure equal & robu/ application ?r\gh su* measures z ! e/abli%m5t ( ! ,electoral ,(f5ses ,commission & ,tribunal2 7#d7 urges all ,nig]ians to fully & peacefully engage 9 ! electoral process1 insi/ on full enfran*isem5t1 reject inflammatory or divisive rhetoric or actions1 & seek to resolve any disputes ov] results ?r\gh ! legal sy/em2 7#e7 calls ^u ! ,indep5d5t ,national ,electoral ,commission to su/a9 confid5ce & tru/ 9 its managem5t ( ! electoral process by-- 7,a7 tak+ concrete measures to combat vote buy+ ?r\gh vot] education campaigns1 en=cem5t ( laws aga9/ vot] inducem5t1 & a nationwide ban on cell phones 9 ! vot+ cubicle2 7,b7 releas+ specim5 ballots well 9 advance ( ,election ,day s t civil society & o!r electoral /akehold]s c conduct suffici5t education to ori5t vot]s2 7,c7 mak+ adequate arrangem5ts to ensure ! p>ticipation 9 ! election ( int]nally displac$ p]sons 7,i,d,ps72 & 7,d7 tak+ /eps to clean ! vot] roll & ensure timely production & di/ribution ( ! ,p]man5t ,vot] ,c>d to new vot]s2 7#f7 enc\rages political p>ties 9 ,nig]ia to adh]e to & en=ce exi/+ codes ( conduct t commit p>ties to democratic electoral /&>ds reg>d+ campaign use ( res\rces1 engagem5t ( vot]s1 peaceful resolution ( disputes1 & acceptance ( v]ifi$ & cr$ible results2 7#g7 condemns any ef=ts on ! "p ( any politicians or political p>ties 9 ,nig]ia to politicize ! security & law en=cem5t ag5cies2 7#h7 enc\rages civil society organizations 9 ,nig]ia to-- 7,a7 promote ! peaceful p>ticipation ( citiz5s 9 ! electoral process & draw on exi/+ int]-religi\s & peacebuild+ bodies to enhance _! ef=ts2 7,b7 dissem9ate in=mation ab\t citiz5-bas$ obs]vation f9d+s & analysis to increase public k & und]/&+ ab\t ! conduct ( ! elections2 & 7,c7 cont9ue lead+ important e>ly w>n+ & response me*anisms to mitigate election-relat$ viol5ce1 includ+ monitor+ ef=ts to incite viol5ce or fur!r inflame t5sions2 7#i7 supports ef=ts by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate1 includ+ ! ,bureau ( ,conflict & ,/abilization ,op]ations1 & ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,ag5cy = ,int]national ,developm5t 7,,usaid7 to assi/ election-relat$ prep>ation 9 ,nig]ia1 includ+ ?r\gh programs focus$ on conflict mitigation2 & 7#aj7 calls on ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t & o!r int]national p>tn]s1 especially election-focus$ nongov]nm5tal organizations1 to-- 7,a7 cont9ue to support ef=ts by ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,nig]ia to address ! rema9+ electoral prep>ation *all5ges & id5tify gaps 9 :i* additional res\rces or diplomatic engagem5t c\ld make important contributions to ! conduct ( ! elections2 & 7,b7 support civil society organizations & m$ia organizations work+ t[>ds transp>5cy & acc\ntability 9 ! use ( /ate res\rces ar\nd ! election p]iod4