A ranking U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on Nigeria’s recent Presidential and National Assembly elections.
According to Senator Risch it’s disappointing for the United States government to embrace the election despite several reports of rigging and manipulation in the electoral process which the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Yakubu Mahmood declared the candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu winner.
The lawmaker also said the United States government should be more concern on the Nigerian citizens that are yearning for democracy rather than focusing on the Nigerian government.
The statement reads below:
“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.
“With Nigeria heading into state-level elections in just a few days, it is important that the United States be more concerned with supporting the Nigerian people and their democratic aspirations than embracing the Nigerian government.”
Source:: foreign.senate.gov
