United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, has urged all the candidates who participated in last Saturday’s presidential election to honour the Abuja Peace Accord signed before the polls.
Apparently responding to calls by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to declare its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, winner of the election, Symington said no one should claim victory before final announcement of results.
He also commended Nigerians for turning out in millions to vote, despite incidents of violence in some places.
The US envoy, who said this in a statement Monday, condoled with the families of those who lost their lives during the exercise.
The statement reads: “I congratulate the tens of millions of Nigerians who stood patiently in long lines to vote this week and the hundreds of thousands who worked together with INEC to conduct the elections.
”As noted by many observer groups in their preliminary reports, this election was predominantly peaceful, and it was proof of the Nigerian people’s resolute commitment to choose their leaders.
“The peaceful achievement of millions was shadowed by the violence of a few. We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives, and we urge all candidates to honor the Peace Accord they signed.
“All should convince those who support them to refrain from using force or violence to interfere with INEC.
”No one should break the law by announcing results before INEC does, or break the peace by claiming victory before the results are final.
”Everyone has a common interest in showing patience as INEC collates and announces the election results.”
In another development, African Union, AU, said Monday that the Presidential and National Assembly elections which held last Saturday were largely peaceful and orderly.
According to the AU, the elections were also in conformity with Nigeria’s legal framework, despite incidents of reported violence in some parts of the country.
“Despite some reports of election-related violence and deaths as well as intimidation, the overall climate remained largely peaceful and conducive for the conduct of democratic elections.
“The 2019 elections took place in generally peaceful environment. Nevertheless, certain parts of the country, particularly the North East, South-South and Middle Belt regions face security challenges,” Hailemarian Daselegn, Head of African Union Election Observation Mission, said at a press conference in Abuja, the nation’s capital, yesterday.
AU congratulated the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for being “open and cooperative with electoral observers,” and urged the commission to expeditiously and transparently collate and announce the results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections as provided by law.
