The United States yesterday expressed its disappointment over the
postponement of the 2015 general elections by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).
Reacting on behalf of the government, US Secretary of States, Mr. John Kerry, said that his country was deeply disappointed by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election, which had been scheduled for February 14, 2015.
Speaking further, Kerry said that the federal government’s interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission was unacceptable, stressing that it was critical that the Nigerian government did not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.
He said further that the international community would be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates.
Speaking further, Kerry who recently had meetings with President Goodluck Jonathan and the presidential candidate of the APC in Lagos state added that the United States underscored the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays.
“As I reaffirmed when I visited Lagos last month, we support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related violence” he concluded.
It would be recalled that the United States government had warned against any plan to force the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, to postpone the February general elections.
Speaking in her capacity as the deputy spokesperson of the Department of State during a press briefing in Washington, DC, Ms. Marie Harf, said that delaying the elections which INEC already said that it was ready to conduct would be very dangerous. She added that no excuse must be used to force the Nigeria’s electoral body to postpone the elections.
On insecurity, the US official condemned the recent terrorist attacks by Boko Haram in Cameroon and Niger in the strongest possible terms, adding that the terrorist group had perpetrated countless unprovoked attacks on men, women, and children in their homes, schools, places of worship, and businesses.
She added that Boko Haram’s brutality and barbarism knew no bounds, stressing that: “We condemn the horrific and barbaric acts of these groups that continue to show total disregard for the sanctity of human life”
Harf urged that Boko Haram must not be allowed to continue brutally terrorizing innocent civilians in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, adding that unchecked killing must stop. She also said that the United States stood firmly with the governments and peoples of the region in the face of this threat.
Reacting on behalf of the government, US Secretary of States, Mr. John Kerry, said that his country was deeply disappointed by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election, which had been scheduled for February 14, 2015.
Speaking further, Kerry said that the federal government’s interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission was unacceptable, stressing that it was critical that the Nigerian government did not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.
He said further that the international community would be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates.
Speaking further, Kerry who recently had meetings with President Goodluck Jonathan and the presidential candidate of the APC in Lagos state added that the United States underscored the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays.
“As I reaffirmed when I visited Lagos last month, we support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related violence” he concluded.
It would be recalled that the United States government had warned against any plan to force the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, to postpone the February general elections.
Speaking in her capacity as the deputy spokesperson of the Department of State during a press briefing in Washington, DC, Ms. Marie Harf, said that delaying the elections which INEC already said that it was ready to conduct would be very dangerous. She added that no excuse must be used to force the Nigeria’s electoral body to postpone the elections.
On insecurity, the US official condemned the recent terrorist attacks by Boko Haram in Cameroon and Niger in the strongest possible terms, adding that the terrorist group had perpetrated countless unprovoked attacks on men, women, and children in their homes, schools, places of worship, and businesses.
She added that Boko Haram’s brutality and barbarism knew no bounds, stressing that: “We condemn the horrific and barbaric acts of these groups that continue to show total disregard for the sanctity of human life”
Harf urged that Boko Haram must not be allowed to continue brutally terrorizing innocent civilians in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, adding that unchecked killing must stop. She also said that the United States stood firmly with the governments and peoples of the region in the face of this threat.
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