After decades of military rule, Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, making 2015 the 16th year of democratic governance in the world's most populous black nation.

In all democracies, citizens re-elect rulers or replace them at the polls every now and then. However, leaders of the People's Democratic Party, which has misruled us for 16 years, are now bent on further shifting the March 28 and April 11, 2015 elections to avoid a looming defeat at the polls. Part of the plan involves removing the INEC Chairman through bribery; voter intimidation; and threats of violence against the opposition.

We strongly urge your governments to apply strict sanctions on any Nigerian politician found to be supporting that plan. You would then have helped to save Nigeria's nascent democracy.