Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, has condemned a phone call between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President-elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as “demoralizing and acknowledgement of a fraudulent election in Nigeria.”
Bliken called Tinubu on Tuesday after declaring visa restrictions on particular persons who harmed the democratic process during the 2023 elections.
According to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of State’s Spokesperson, Matthew Miller, Blinken informed Tinubu that the Joe Biden administration is committed to developing ties with Nigeria.
The US Secretary of State remarked that the US-Nigeria cooperation is based on shared interests and strong people-to-people ties, and that those ties should deepen further during Tinubu’s tenure.
Miller went on to sayBliken and Tinubu highlighted the significance of inclusive leadership that represents all Nigerians, as well as changes to assist Nigeria’s economic progress.
In a statement sent on Wednesday via his Twitter handle, Atiku said Blinken’s call to Tinubu violates the US public position on Nigeria’s election.”I am in disbelief that @SecBlinken called Tinubu,” he said, contradicting the US’s officially declared position on Nigeria’s presidential election in 2023.
“This is inconceivable given that America, as the cradle of democracy, is well informed about the sham election on February 25.”
“Giving legitimacy to Nigeria’s widely acknowledged fraudulent election can be demoralizing to citizens who have hedged their bet on democracy and the sanctity of the ballot box @StateDept @POTUS @USinNigeria.”
