The final determination of the true winner of the election can only be made by the relevant courts of law
Reactions continued trailing phone conversation between the United States Secretary of the State, Antony J. Blinken, and President-elect, Bola Tinubu, with latest outburst coming from the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the just concluded General Election, Peter Obi.
DAILY COMMERCE Nigeria reported that Blinken made a phone call to the president-elect Tinubu on Wednesday to convey U.S President Joe Bidin’s commitment to work with the incoming administration towards deepening democracy and supporting economic development in Nigeria.
Mr. Obi, who has rejected the results of the 2023 presidential election and is already in the election Tribunal, urged the US to let the court decide the legitimate president of Nigeria.
His reaction came a day after the PDP’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, chided Blinken for the phone call, describing his action as contradicting to the position of the United States as to the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
Obi said this in a series of tweets on his verified Twitter handle said, “There is still a lack of clarity on the basis of the US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken’s call to APC’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 16, 2023.
“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.
“The final determination of the true winner of the election can only be made by the relevant courts of law,” he added.
“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 US responses to our affairs should be based on mutual respect, shared ideals, aspirations and interests which ought to transcend the considerations of any individual,” Obi wrote.
The former Anambra governor added that 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.”
“More so, the issues in judicial contention imply far-reaching violations of both the Nigerian Electoral Law and the Nigerian Constitution,” he maintained.
