The United States (US) Government has urged Nigerians, including young voters to exercise their fundamental freedom and make their voices heard in the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly election, insisting that they have no preferred presidential candidate.
This is as the US President, Joe Biden, was full of praises for the participating political parties and their presidential candidates for signing the peace accord yesterday (February 22) ahead of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.
According to a statement issued by the US Consulate General, this was made known by Biden, where he also reiterated that by signing the pledge, the parties and candidates have committed to accept the results of the election, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and to support a peaceful transition of power.
The US does not support any candidate or party
- The statement from Biden as released by the US Consulate General partly reads, “Elections are a fundamental part of a functioning democracy, and all Nigerians deserve this chance to choose their future — freely and fairly.
- “While the United States does not support any single candidate or party, we strongly support a peaceful and transparent process that reflects the will of the people of Nigeria.
- “On election day, I encourage all Nigerians — no matter their religion, region, or ethnicity —to exercise this fundamental freedom and make their voices heard — including young voters, many of whom may be heading to the ballot box for the first time.
- “The United States stands with the Nigerian people as they chart a path toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure future. I appreciate President Buhari’s firm commitment that the will of the people will be respected. And in the coming days, I encourage voters to remain peaceful and patient as their ballots are tallied and urge the political parties and candidates to live up to their pledges.
For the record
- In a related development, the US Embassy in Nigeria had a few days ago, alerted its citizens in the country on possible protests and restricted movements, on February 25 and March 11, being the days for the presidential/National Assembly as well as governorship/State Assembly elections.
- In a notice on its website, the Embassy advised its nationals to avoid rallies as “they can turn violent with little or no notice.”
