The United States and the United Kingdom yesterday congratulated president-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory in last Saturday’s presidential election.
They called for a peaceful resolution of the post-election issues.
The U.S. urged parties to refrain from violence and seek legal redress if dissatisfied.
In a statement by Department of State’s Spokesperson Ned Price, the U.S. described the presidential election as competitive.
It also said the exercise represented a new period for Nigerian politics and democracy and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address the identified hiccups.
Each of the top three candidates, the U.S. added, was led in 12 states, a remarkable first in Nigeria’s modern political era.
The statement reads: “We understand that many Nigerians and some of the parties have expressed frustration about the manner in which the process was conducted and the shortcomings of technical elements that were used for the first time in a presidential election cycle.
“Nigerians are clearly within their rights to have such concerns and should have high expectations for their electoral processes.
“We join other international observers in urging INEC to improve in the areas that need the most attention ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial elections.
“There are well-established mechanisms in place for the adjudication of electoral disputes, and we encourage any candidate or party seeking to challenge the outcome to pursue redress through those mechanisms.
“We call on all parties, candidates, and supporters to refrain from violence or inflammatory rhetoric at this critical time.
“We commend the active participation of civil society and the media for advancing electoral norms and political discourse on issues of importance to citizens.
“We note with concern reports that numerous members of the media were attacked during the course of the election, and we urge the government, security forces, political actors, and all 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.
“We also congratulate the Nigerian people, especially the large number of youths who are relatively new to the political process, for demonstrating their strong commitment to democracy.”
The UK Foreign Secretary, Mr James Cleverly, in a statement by Senior Communication and Public Diplomacy Officer, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, also commended voters for patiently exercising their democratic rights.
“We note the position of opposition parties on the election outcome and the concerns expressed by observer missions and civil society about the organisation of the process, including delays and technical challenges.
“We encourage the authorities to examine all concerns carefully, take action to resolve outstanding issues and focus on delivering the will of the Nigerian people,” Cleverly said.
The First Lady Aisha Muhammadu Buhari also congratulated Tinubu.
In a statement by her Director of Information, Suleiman Haruna, she expressed confidence that the president-elect will lead the country into “the future our forefathers envisioned for Nigeria”.
The First Lady believes the president-elect’s political dexterity, foresight and detribalisation ensured his success at the poll.
She also congratulated the Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima.
“I equally congratulate the wife of the president-elect, the incoming First Lady, and a grassroots politician, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
“I have no doubt that Nigerian women will get a good deal during your tenure,” She said.
Mrs Buhari thanked Nigerians, especially the women, for ensuring that their votes counted and for voting for the APC candidates.
-Thenation
