In a press statement, the US Department of State commended the people of Nigeria, President-elect Tinubu, and all political leaders, stating that each of the top three candidates was the leading vote-getter in 12 states, reflecting the diversity of views that characterized the campaign and the wishes of Nigeria’s voters.
However, the US also acknowledged the frustration expressed by many Nigerians and political parties regarding the manner in which the election process was conducted and the shortcomings of technical elements used for the first time in a presidential election cycle.
The US Department of State urged INEC to improve on the areas that need the most attention ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial elections.
The US Department of State also called on all parties, candidates, and supporters to refrain from violence or inflammatory rhetoric at this critical time. They encouraged any candidate or party seeking to challenge the outcome to pursue redress through well-established mechanisms in place for the adjudication of electoral disputes.
The US Department of State commended civil society and the media for advancing electoral norms and political discourse on issues of importance to citizens. They expressed concern over reports of numerous attacks against members of the media during the course of the election and called on the government, security forces, political actors, and citizens to respect the media’s critical role by refraining from any damaging acts against them and ensuring accountability for such acts when they do occur.
Finally, the US Department of State congratulated the Nigerian people, especially the large number of youths who are relatively new to the political process, for demonstrating their strong commitment to democracy.