Labour Party’s presidential candidate in February 25 election, Peter Obi, has accused the United States Government of taking sides with the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
He said a phone call the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken had with Tinubu suggested so.
In some tweets on Friday, in which Obi referred to Tinubu as the APC’s presidential candidate rather that the President-elect, he said the American government ought to wait till the resolution of court cases on the election.
Obi said, “There is still a lack of clarity on the basis of the US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken’s call to APC’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 16, 2023.
“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.
“The final determination of the true winner of the election can only be made by the relevant courts of law,” he added.
“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, the U.S.-Nigeria relationship should be guided by the core values of democracy.
“Above all, Nigerians expect that the US responses to our affairs should be based on mutual respect, shared ideals, aspirations and interests which ought to transcend the considerations of any individual,” Obi wrote.
The former Anambra governor added that the “willful manipulation and falsification of the will of Nigerians as freely expressed during the February 25 elections cannot be overlooked by the true friends and partners of Nigeria.”
