U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Thursday, urged the United States Government not to embrace the controversial result of the recently-held presidential election across the country.
Senator Risch released the following statement on Nigeria’s recent elections in a statement published on the United States Foreign Relations Committee website.
Risch said: “The ongoing electoral process in Nigeria is widely viewed as deeply flawed by election observers and many Nigerians.
It is disappointing to see the administration rush to embrace the result while the full picture of what occurred during this electoral process is yet to be seen.
“I’ve expressed similar concerns related to other areas of our relationship with the Nigerian government. I worry this rush to judgement will undermine our ability to be an effective partner to all Nigerians, especially given their longstanding desire for democracy.
“With Nigeria heading into state-level elections in just a few days, it is important that the United States be more concerned with supporting the Nigerian people and their democratic aspirations than embracing the Nigerian government.