Victor EzejaPresident-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign spokespersons have reacted to the open letter written by the International award-winning writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie where she berated the United States and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for congratulating Tinubu.
Adichie had in the letter titled “Nigeria’s Hollow Democracy”, published in the Atlantic on Thursday, slammed the US State Department for congratulating Tinubu, despite cases of flaws witnessed in the electoral process.
The famous writer cited reports of widespread violence, ballot box snatching, intimidation of voters, and other forms of malpractice which marred the February 25 poll.
She said she supported the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, with the hope that he would win, but was prepared to accept the outcome because the Independent National Electoral Commission had promised to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) technology to ensure that the conduct of the polls was transparent and credible.
Adichie further stated that the US Department of State did not take into consideration the feeling of the average Nigerians about the outcome of the elections, but relied on what they were told by the Nigerian authorities in issuing their comments about the election.
She called on Biden to not remain apathetic toward the current state of Nigeria by endorsing the results that came out of an “undemocratic process,” adding that hailing the outcome “tarnishes America’s self-proclaimed commitment to democracy.”
“You have spoken of the importance of a ‘global community for democracy,’ and the need to stand up for ‘justice and the rule of law.’ A global community for democracy cannot thrive in the face of apathy from its most powerful member.
“Why would the United States, which prioritises the rule of law, endorse a president-elect who has emerged from an unlawful process?” Adichie queried.
“Congratulating its outcome, President Biden, tarnishes America’s self-proclaimed commitment to democracy. Please do not give the sheen of legitimacy to an illegitimate process. The United States should be what it says it is,” She added.
However, reacting to that, the director of Media and Publicity Tinubu/Shettima Campaign, Bayo Onanuga, urged President Biden not to take Adichie’s open letter seriously.
Onanuga in a tweet on Friday, described the letter as fiction written because the candidate she supported lost in the election.
“Dear President Joe Biden, please just trash the open letter by Chimamanda on Nigeria’s election once it gets to your desk. She wrote fiction, inspired by the monumental loss of her tribesman Peter Obi,” Onanuga tweeted on Friday morning.
Also reacting to that was the Tinubu campaign spokesperson in Southeast Nigeria, Dr Josef Onoh, who accused Adichie of being biased because Obi whom she supported lost in the election.
Onoh further said Adichie is guided by self-serving interest and lacks knowledge of the rules of international diplomacy.
He stated that the US currently has a foreign policy strategy of preventing conflict and promoting stability in every democratic nation that has become its partner.
“These partner countries under their Strategy include but are not limited to Haiti, Libya, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, and a grouping of Coastal West African countries like Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo, etc. Each collaboration presents a unique opportunity to leverage lessons learned from decades of U.S. involvement overseas, to enhance the way the U.S. Government engages in challenging environments, and to jointly build resilience against political, economic, and natural shocks.
“It’s a fact that the US Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability outlines a ten-year, whole-of-government effort to foster peace and long-term stability through integrated diplomacy, development, and security-sector engagement. The Strategy builds upon and strengthens the work done to implement the U.S. Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security, which has given migrants like Chimamanda Adichie the platform to excel and today demonstrate the liberty to write the US President over the loss of her preferred Presidential candidate in the just concluded 2023 Nigeria elections, while attempting to hide under the guise of an activist fighting for a self-perceived collective right rather than accept the reality before her that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the president-elect and incoming president of Nigeria,” Onoh stated.
While the likes of Onanuga and Onoh, ostensibly from the ruling party side, attacked Adichie for writing the open letter, other Nigerians commended her for taking the bold step of “speaking truth to power” about what happened during the general elections.
Valentine Ozigbo, the PDP governorship candidate in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election, who is the Special Adviser to Peter Obi on Technology and Strategic Alliances thanked Adichie for her intervention. Ozigbo described her as one with integrity and bravery.
“Lawlessness has consequences.” – Nigeria’s literary superstar, @ChimamandaReal speaks truth to @POTUS President Biden in an open letter published in @TheAtlantic. Thanks, Chimamanda for your integrity and bravery,” Ozigbo tweeted on Thursday.
@AJOrhewere wrote: “Thank you, @ChimamandaReal for speaking up where the ‘elders’ failed. Indeed this is not so much about the declared ‘winner’ as it is the brazen robbery for which the old guard thought they’d get away! I pray this never settles down until the truth is exposed for what it is.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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