Like Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last general election, Peter Obi, the flag bearer of the Labour Party, LP, has faulted Antony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State’s phone call with the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
Recall that Blinken and Tinubu had a phone conversation last Tuesday. During the conversation, Blinken pledged the US commitment to support the incoming government and strengthen the diplomatic relations between the US and Nigeria.
Atiku, on Wednesday, expressed displeasure with the development, which he outrightly described as a “contradiction to the publicly stated position of the US on Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election.”
Following suit, Obi said the phone call “faintly suggests” that the US overlooked the fact the outcome of the February 25 presidential election is being contested in court and “conferred legitimacy” on Tinubu.
He, therefore, urged the US government to “await the full resolution of the ongoing judicial processes” which can only be determined by the Nigerian judiciary before pledging its support for “any of the contending parties”.
Obi’s statement on Friday reads: “There is still a lack of clarity on the basis of the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken’s call to APC’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 16th May 2023.
“The most fundamental tenet and core value of democracy is the rule of law. Nigeria’s democracy is founded on these principles which the American people hold dear. Without the risk of interfering in Nigeria’s domestic affairs, the U.S.-Nigeria relationship should be guided by the core values of democracy.
“Above all, Nigerians expect that the U.S. responses to our affairs should be based on mutual respect, shared ideals, aspirations and interests which ought to transcend the considerations of any individual.
“Contextually, the willful manipulation and falsification of the will of Nigerians as freely expressed during the February 25 elections cannot be overlooked by the true friends and partners of Nigeria. It is thus of overarching importance that a beacon of democracy like the United States should not respond to political developments in Nigeria in a manner that faintly suggests taking sides.
“There is an evolving political and judicial process around the last presidential election in Nigeria. We expect the United States to await the full resolution of the ongoing judicial processes before tacitly conferring legitimacy on any of the contending parties.
“The final determination of the true winner of the election can only be made by the relevant courts of law. More so, the issues in judicial contention imply far-reaching violations of both the Nigerian Electoral Law and the Nigerian constitution.”
Ezinwanne Onwuka, senior staff reporter and columnist with WAP is a Nigerian-based writer and content developer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Her interests include reading, writing, researching and graphic designing.
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