Mr. Phrank Shaibu, the Special Assistant on Public Communication to Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, praised United States Senator Jim Risch for highlighting the irregularities that marred Nigeria’s recently concluded presidential election. Shaibu also commended Risch for criticizing the U.S. government’s decision to hurriedly accept Bola Tinubu as president‑elect despite damning reports from election observers. Quoting Senator Risch, Shaibu noted, “The ongoing electoral process in Nigeria is widely viewed as deeply flawed by election observers and many Nigerians. It is disappointing to see the administration rush to embrace the result, while the full picture of what occurred during this electoral process is yet to be seen. I’ve expressed similar concerns related to other areas of our relationship with the Nigerian government. I worry this rush to judgement will undermine our ability to be an effective partner to all Nigerians, especially given their longstanding desire for democracy.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission announced that the All Progressives Congress candidate was elected president‑elect on Saturday, 25 February. In a statement that same day, Shaibu said posterity would be kind to Senator Risch for siding with the Nigerian people even against the U.S. government. He added, “Senator Risch confirmed what objective observers revealed: the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria was a sham, a usurpation of the will of the people and a stain on the history of Nigeria.”
Shaibu also praised several notable London media platforms for their strongly worded editorials detailing their opinions of the 25 February election. He lamented the conduct of the electoral umpire, stating, “The Independent National Electoral Commission badly misfired. Voting started late in many districts, depriving millions of the right to vote. The system to upload results from 177,000 polling stations stuttered, raising legitimate concerns of vote tampering during long delays. Violence was troubling. Party goons invaded many polling stations in what appeared to be blatant acts of intimidation.” He highlighted a scathing editorial that described, in graphic detail, how thugs acting on APC instructions used violence to intimidate voters in Lagos. Specifically, “In Ikate, Lagos, gunmen invaded a centre, scattered the voting materials, and caused voters to flee; nearby soldiers intervened. Violence also occurred in Oshodi and Okota, compounded by the late arrival of materials—reportedly instigated by a faction of the road transport union that refused to move them. Thugs threatened those who refused to vote for the All Progressives Congress in Shitta, Surulere, Lagos.”
Finally, Shaibu pointed out that Tinubu lost in Ikeja Local Government, where he voted, and also lost in Bourdillon, Ikoyi, where he resides.
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