Obi Faults Blinken’s Phone Call With Tinubu, Says US Shouldn’t Take Sides While Judicial Process is Under way

 
·     Insists only the court will determine the winner of Nigeria’s presidential election

 
 
Candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 Presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, has faulted the phone call placed by the United States Secretary of States, Antony J. Blinken to Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He cautioned US against taking sides while the outcome of the presidential poll is still before the court.

In a tweet Friday, Obi said there was still lack of clarity on the basis of Blinken’s call to Tinubu, adding “the willful manipulation and falsification of the will of Nigerians as freely expressed during the 25 February elections cannot be overlooked by true friends and partners of Nigeria.”

 
Obi reminded Blinken that there was an evolving political and judicial process around the last presidential election in Nigeria, adding that what was expected of the United States was to await the full resolution of the on going  judicial processes before tacitly conferring legitimacy on any of the contending parties.

 
“Only then can the true winner of that election be determined.  That final determination can only be made by the relevant courts of law”,
 
 
The tweet read:

“There is still lack of clarity on the basis of  U.S. Secretary of State,  Antony J.  Blinken’s call to APC presidential presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on 16 May, 2023 
 
“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, it goes without saying that U.S.-Nigeria relations should be guided by the core values of democracy.  Above all,  Nigerians expect that U.S  responses to our affairs should be based on mutual respect, shared ideals, aspirations and interests which ought to transcend considerations of any individual. 
 
“Contextually, the willful manipulation and falsification of the will of Nigerians as freely expressed during the 25 February elections cannot be overlooked by true friends and partners of Nigeria. 
 
“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. 
 
“There is an evolving political and judicial process around the last presidential election in Nigeria.  We expect the United States to await the full resolution of the ongoing  judicial processes before tacitly conferring legitimacy on any of the contending parties. Only then can the true winner of that election be determined.  That final determination can only be made by the relevant courts of law.
 
“More so, the issues in judicial contention imply far reaching violations of both the Nigerian Electoral Law and the Nigerian Constituion.  –PO”

See Tweet