In a recent development following the general election, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, expressed his disagreement with the call made by the US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, to President-elect Bola Tinubu. Obi took to his verified Twitter handle to share his thoughts on the conversation between Blinken and Tinubu, urging that the matter be decided by the court to determine the legitimate president of Nigeria.
The call made by Blinken to Tinubu on Tuesday, where he pledged stronger ties between the US and Nigeria, sparked reactions from opposition camps. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the conversation as "demoralizing" and expressed disbelief that Blinken had called Tinubu, given the US's publicly stated position on Nigeria's presidential election in 2023. Atiku further emphasized that legitimizing the widely acknowledged fraudulent election could demoralize citizens who place their trust in democracy and the integrity of the electoral process.
Peter Obi, on the other hand, appealed to the US to await the full resolution of ongoing judicial processes before implicitly conferring legitimacy on any contending party. He stressed the importance of the United States, as a beacon of democracy, not taking sides or responding to political developments in Nigeria in a manner that suggests bias. Obi emphasized that the final determination of the true winner of the election should be made by the relevant courts of law.
Obi highlighted the rule of law as the fundamental tenet and core value of democracy and emphasized that Nigeria's democracy is built on these principles, which are held dear by the American people. He called for the US-Nigeria relationship to be guided by the core values of democracy, with responses to Nigerian affairs based on mutual respect, shared ideals, aspirations, and interests that transcend individual considerations.
Furthermore, Obi stressed that the willful manipulation and falsification of the will of Nigerians during the February 25 elections cannot be overlooked by true friends and partners of Nigeria. He pointed out that the issues under judicial contention indicate significant violations of both the Nigerian Electoral Law and the Nigerian Constitution.
In summary, Peter Obi expressed his disagreement with the call made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to President-elect Bola Tinubu, urging the US to allow the court to decide the legitimate president of Nigeria. He emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law, called for mutual respect in the US-Nigeria relationship, and highlighted the violations observed during the election process.
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