Some supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party have berated the United States President, Joe Biden over the announcement of a presidential delegation to attend the swearing-in of Nigeria’s “President-elect”, Bola Tinubu.
Many world leaders, including Heads of State, have been invited by the Nigerian government to grace the Tinubu’s inauguration.
The former Lagos State governor will be sworn in as the 16th President of Nigeria on May 29 at Eagle Square, Abuja.
Also expected at the nation’s seventh transition ceremony are past presidents, diplomats, heads of international organisations and prominent Nigerians and representatives of foreign governments and agencies.
Biden had in a statement released on the White House’s website on Monday, May 22, announced a nine-member delegation for the event.
The statement said the delegation, which will be led by Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Marcia L. Fudge, represents the commitment of the United States to strengthen ties and maintain diplomatic relations with Nigeria.
Other members of the Presidential Delegation include; David Greene, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., U.S. Embassy Abuja; The Honorable Sydney Kamlager-Dove, United States Representative (D), California; the Honorable Marisa Lago, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce; General Michael E. Langley, and Commander of U.S. Africa Command, the Honorable Enoh T. Ebong, Director.
However, some supporters of the LP and PDP presidential candidates have taken to the micro-blogging platform, Twitter to condemn the action of the US President.
They also described the delegation as weak, adding that Vice President Kamala Harris or Secretary of State, Antony Blinken should have led it.
Below are some reactions;
The announcement comes a few weeks after Chimamanda Adichie, a Nigerian novelist wrote to the US President expressing dissatisfaction over the process of the presidential election conducted on February 25.
In the letter, she alleged that the presidential election was marred with discrepancies and irregularities which she claims were shunned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adichie had asked Biden to uphold his stance on the need for a true democracy, adding that congratulating Tinubu who was “hastily” announced as president-elect tarnishes America’s self-proclaimed commitment to democratic processes.
She had said the elections were not only rigged but also insulted the intelligence of Nigerians as there was no legal action to issues of evident manipulations reported. (SaharaReporters)
