Mary Beth Leonard US Ambassador to Nigeria
The United States has joined the European Union (EU) and other power blocs and international observers to describe the Presidential and National Assembly elections as failing to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
In a statement on Sunday, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said many citizens are angry and frustrated with the results, while some others are celebrating victories they believe were hard-fought and well-earned.
“It is clear that the electoral process as a whole on February 25 failed to meet Nigerians’ expectations,” the US Ambassador stated.
“As I said numerous times prior to the elections, Nigeria has accomplished much in just the two-plus decades since the return to democracy, and a gradual improvement in the quality of its elections in that time constitutes one of those accomplishments.
“The people of Nigeria demonstrated their dedication to democracy on February 25, but there are many angry and frustrated Nigerians as well as many who are celebrating victories they believe were hard-fought and well-earned.
“In the coming days, it will be important for the future of this country that Nigerians do not let their differences divide them, and that the legally established process for resolving challenges to the election be allowed to take its course.”
The US Ambassador urged INEC to promptly address the challenges that can be resolved ahead of the March 11 governorship elections, tasking the electoral body to undertake a broader review of the problems that transpired during the last elections and what can be done to fix them.
She also commended Nigerians for demonstrating their dedication to democracy, asking INEC to share with the Nigerian public information about the actions it is taking.
The envoy commended Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar for their commitment to take the legal path in contesting the presidential elections and also the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, for acknowledging their right to do so.
