The United States has denied supporting any candidate before the upcoming Nigerian general election. United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken posted a 58-second video on social media affirming Nigerians’ chance to make their voices heard and choose their future during the election. Blinken highlighted the importance of a peaceful election that reflected the will of Nigerians and added that free and fair elections in Nigeria help create a more accessible and more equitable world for everyone. He also noted that Nigeria has a friend and partner in the US and that the US is invested in Nigeria’s success, as the shared democratic futures of both countries depend on it.
The video came amid concerns over foreign interference in the Nigerian election. The Nigerian government recently banned Twitter for alleged interference in its politics after Twitter removed a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari. It was also alleged that foreign countries supported candidates for the Nigerian presidency.
Blinken stressed that the US did not support any candidate for office and urged Nigerians to vote, as their voices matter. He further highlighted that Nigeria’s constitution, like America’s, begins with the simple and profound idea, “We the people,” which gives Nigerians the power to shape their future.
Nigerians will elect a president and members of the federal parliament on Saturday, February 25, from 18 presidential candidates vying for the top job. The election is expected to be closely contested, with four candidates, including Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, considered front runners.
