Blinken's call to Tinubu demoralizing, says Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized the phone conversation between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President-elect Bola Tinubu, calling it "demoralizing".
He said that with this appeal, the United States recognized what he described as a "fraudulent election" in Nigeria.
The PUNCH reports that Blinken spoke with Tinubu on the phone Tuesday to underscore his continued commitment to further strengthen US-Nigeria relations with the new administration.
During their conversation, Tinubu promised to step up and unify the country as soon as he takes office on May 29. He is also committed to ensuring positive relations with the United States.
The President-elect has said that one of his immediate priorities will be to implement institutional reforms and development programs to deepen our democratic institutions and provide assistance to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
He also expressed his determination to strengthen Nigerian democracy and faithfully serve the people as president.
During the interviews that lasted about 20 minutes, Tinubu reminisced about his turbulent time in America in the 1970s, where he graduated as an accountant with honors in 1979.
He also recalled how the United States granted him asylum when, due to his determined struggle for democracy in Nigeria, he was forced into exile by the military junta of the late General Sani Abacha.
But reacting to Wednesday's development, Atiku, who was Tinubu's challenger in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, said he was "in disbelief" at the phone conversation.
>In a tweet on his Twitter page on Wednesday, the former vice president and presidential candidate for the People's Democratic Party on the ballot said the call was at odds with the United States' previous stance on the election.
“I am incredulous that @SecBlinken called Tinubu, a contradiction to the publicly stated position of the United States on the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria. This is inconceivable when you consider that America, in as a bastion of democracy, is well informed about the February 25 sham election.
“Giving legitimacy to Nigeria's widely acknowledged fraudulent election can be demoralizing for citizens who have hedged their bets on democracy and the sanctity of the ballot,” he wrote.
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, was declared president-elect after the 70-year-old garnered 8,794,726 votes to win the 2023 presidential election.
But Atiku and his Labor Party counterpart, Peter Obi, had rejected the results, with the duo claiming to have won the election. They are currently in court challenging the election result.
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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized the phone conversation between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President-elect Bola Tinubu, calling it "demoralizing".
He said that with this appeal, the United States recognized what he described as a "fraudulent election" in Nigeria.
The PUNCH reports that Blinken spoke with Tinubu on the phone Tuesday to underscore his continued commitment to further strengthen US-Nigeria relations with the new administration.
During their conversation, Tinubu promised to step up and unify the country as soon as he takes office on May 29. He is also committed to ensuring positive relations with the United States.
The President-elect has said that one of his immediate priorities will be to implement institutional reforms and development programs to deepen our democratic institutions and provide assistance to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
He also expressed his determination to strengthen Nigerian democracy and faithfully serve the people as president.
During the interviews that lasted about 20 minutes, Tinubu reminisced about his turbulent time in America in the 1970s, where he graduated as an accountant with honors in 1979.
He also recalled how the United States granted him asylum when, due to his determined struggle for democracy in Nigeria, he was forced into exile by the military junta of the late General Sani Abacha.
But reacting to Wednesday's development, Atiku, who was Tinubu's challenger in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, said he was "in disbelief" at the phone conversation.
>In a tweet on his Twitter page on Wednesday, the former vice president and presidential candidate for the People's Democratic Party on the ballot said the call was at odds with the United States' previous stance on the election.
“I am incredulous that @SecBlinken called Tinubu, a contradiction to the publicly stated position of the United States on the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria. This is inconceivable when you consider that America, in as a bastion of democracy, is well informed about the February 25 sham election.
“Giving legitimacy to Nigeria's widely acknowledged fraudulent election can be demoralizing for citizens who have hedged their bets on democracy and the sanctity of the ballot,” he wrote.
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, was declared president-elect after the 70-year-old garnered 8,794,726 votes to win the 2023 presidential election.
But Atiku and his Labor Party counterpart, Peter Obi, had rejected the results, with the duo claiming to have won the election. They are currently in court challenging the election result.
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