By John Ikani
The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, has commented on the outcome of Nigeria’s presidential polls held on February 25, stating that “they failed to meet the expectations of the citizens.”
While acknowledging that some Nigerians are angry and frustrated with the outcome, Leonard commended the people for demonstrating their dedication to democracy.
In an op-ed titled ‘The Elections of February 25,’ she urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to “address the challenges that can be resolved ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial elections and to undertake a broader review of the problems that transpired during the last elections.”
Leonard also urged INEC to share information about the actions it is taking with the Nigerian public.
She commended the commitment of Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar to take the legal path in contesting the presidential elections and also the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, for acknowledging their right to do so.
In Leonard’s opinion, “it is important for the future of Nigeria 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.”
She admitted that “ending an electoral process in a courtroom can be unsatisfying, but in a constitutional democracy bound by the rule of law, that is where electoral conflicts may appropriately conclude.”
Leonard noted that the Nigerian electoral landscape is changing.
“In the presidential and National Assembly polls, the winning candidate represented a different party than that of the incumbent governor in more than half of the states, including 12 states led by APC governors,” she said.
“For the first time, four presidential candidates won at least one state, and the top three each won 12 states based on these initial results.”
“In the National Assembly elections, changes are already afoot with seven sitting governors losing in their attempts to win election to the Assembly with the Labor Party and NNPP winning at least seven seats in the Senate and 11 seats in the House of Representatives, respectively.”
The ambassador assured Nigerians that as they go through the next weeks and months, the United States stands with them.
