By Alex Enumah in Abuja
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, has said Nigerian politicians and not the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be held responsible for the recent inconclusive state of elections in the country.
Entwistle made the assertion at a press briefing with select journalists in Abuja at the weekend.
According to him, rather than blame INEC, Nigerians should hold politicians responsible for the recurring impasse in election results in Kogi and Bayelsa States and others.
The ambassador said: “Politicians often fail to adhere to the principle of nonviolence which leads to disruption of the electoral process.”
INEC had come under severe attacks for declaring elections held in some states inconclusive, especially in Kogi and Bayelsa States,
Speaking on the state of the nation’s economy, the American envoy advised the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to give priority to the power sector in other to bring the much needed change promised Nigerians during electioneering.
He said: “It is good that the expectations from Mthe president are very high. But I think people should remember what he inherited. And in my opinion, I try to be neutral and balanced, I think the pesident and his team have done a good job in this first year.
“He has done exactly what he said he would do. It’s clear that he has unleashed the investigative agencies to follow every evidence and information wherever it goes. I have been following the investigations of those arrested to see whether there is any evidence that they are politically motivated, I have not found any.”
