The recent call made by US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has raised concerns from various quarters, including former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku, who took to Twitter to express his disbelief, maintained that the call was a contradiction to the publicly stated position of the US regarding Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. The former Vice-President believes that acknowledging the results of the election could be detrimental to citizens, especially given the widely acknowledged fraudulent election that took place on February 25.
The details of the conversation between Blinken and Tinubu have not been made public, but reports suggest that the US Secretary of State assured Tinubu of America’s commitment to strengthening the relationship between Nigeria and the US under his tenure.
However, Atiku’s reaction highlights concerns over the persistent allegations of electoral malpractice and political violence in Nigeria, which have often raised questions over the legitimacy of the country’s electoral process.
The US has been a vocal critic of flawed Nigerian elections and has repeatedly called for reforms to ensure the country’s electoral process is credible, transparent and inclusive.
As the country prepares for the 2023 presidential election, it is expected that the US, along with other international partners, will closely monitor developments in Nigeria in a bid to ensure a free and fair process.
It remains unclear what position the US will take concerning the election, but Atiku’s concerns highlight the need for the electoral process to be transparent, credible and inclusive to boost citizens’ confidence in democracy and the sanctity of the ballot.
