The US says it is disappointed by the militarization of the just concluded elections in Nigeria. The United states has said it is disappointed by low turnouts, purchasing of vote, violence and armed forces interference.
According to The Cable reports, a statement was made via the US embassy on Thursday, 21th of March, 2019.
Legit.ng gathers that the US, which urged all stakeholders to work towards ensuring fair and credible supplementary elections, also reiterated its support for a democratic process.
The statement read:
“The United States once again congratulates the Nigerian people’s commitment to the democratic process throughout the election season.
“The United States supports a democratic process where the will of the Nigerian people is reflected in the results. “As long-time friends of Nigeria, we continue to follow closely the still ongoing elections. We do not have a preferred party or candidate.
“As noted by many observer groups in their preliminary reports, we too were disappointed by the low voter turnout as well as credible reports of voter intimidation, vote buying, interference by security forces, and violence in some locations.
“We are saddened by those acts of violence and extend our deepest sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives, including those who worked for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security services.
“As the 2019 electoral cycle comes to an end, we urge all stakeholders to work towards a free, fair, credible, transparent, and peaceful process, especially for the many Nigerians across the country who again will go to polls on Saturday.
“We encourage all stakeholders, including INEC, political parties, and the security services, to continue to improve the electoral process for future elections. “We look to Nigeria as an important leader on the African continent. As a democratic partner of Nigeria, the United States remains committed to working together to achieve our mutual goals of peace and prosperity for the citizens of both our countries.”
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian Army pushed back against allegations that it engaged in partisan interference during the 2019 general elections.
The chief of Army staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, stated that the military was involved in the elections in a supporting role for the police. Buratai further kicked back against the term, ‘militarisation’; stating that people were using the word without defining it.
Source: Legit.ng
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