Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the recently concluded 2023 elections, has raised concerns about the recent phone conversation between US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and President-elect Bola Tinubu.
News About Nigeria reports that in a post on Facebook, Obi highlighted the need to await the verdict of the presidential election tribunal before acknowledging legitimacy.
Obi expressed his reservations, questioning the basis of the call made by Secretary Blinken to Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 16, 2023.
He emphasized that the rule of law is a fundamental principle and core value of democracy, upon which Nigeria’s democratic system is built.
The American people also hold these principles dear, and therefore, the relationship between the US and Nigeria should be guided by the core values of democracy without interfering in Nigeria’s domestic affairs.
According to Obi, the US should respond to Nigerian affairs with mutual respect, shared ideals, aspirations, and interests that transcend individual considerations.
He stressed the need for the United States, as a beacon of democracy, not to exhibit any signs of favoritism or bias in responding to political developments in Nigeria.
Obi pointed out that Nigeria is currently undergoing an evolving political and judicial process regarding the last presidential election.
Therefore, he expects the United States to wait for the completion of the ongoing judicial processes before implicitly granting legitimacy to any of the contending parties.
The final determination of the election’s true winner can only be made by the relevant courts of law. Additionally, the issues under judicial contention involve significant violations of both the Nigerian Electoral Law and the Nigerian Constitution.
