2023 elections: American accuses Biden of double standards, says latest phone call with Tinubu ‘outrageous contradiction’

Following confirmation, Tuesday, that the United States Secretary of State had called President-elect, Bola Tinubu ‘to emphasize his continued commitment to further strengthening the U.S.-Nigeria relationship with the incoming administration,’ an American national, Dr Jeffrey Guterman has accused his home country of double standards.

The accusation by Dr Guterman came hours after the US government had imposed visa bans on Nigerian political and state actors indicted for undermining democracy during the just-concluded and heavily disputed 2023 General Elections, which produced the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu as winner and president-elect as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to Guterman, a certified mental health practitioner, the phone call made by the US Secretary of State, Mr Antony Blinken, Tuesday, seeking working relationship with the incoming Tinubu administration amounts to what he called ‘outrageous contradiction.’

Guterman, who urged the Biden administration to ‘repudiate its recognition of Tinubu as the winner of the Nigerian presidential election’, berated his home government for a series of contradictory actions towards the Nigerian president-elect since March, this year.

It would be recalled that earlier Monday, a statement issued by the Secretary of State Antony Binken, announced visa ban or restriction on Nigerians ‘involved in intimidation of voters through threats and physical violence, the manipulation of vote results, and other activity that undermines Nigeria’s democratic process’ during the 2023 polls.

“The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Nigeria and around the world.

“Today, I am announcing that we have taken steps to impose visa restrictions on specific individuals in Nigeria for undermining the democratic process during Nigeria’s 2023 elections cycle.

“These individuals, under US Immigration and Nationality Act, will be subject to restrictions on visas to the United States under a policy covering those believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy.

“These individuals have been involved in intimidation of voters through threats and physical violence, the manipulation of vote results, and other activity that undermines Nigeria’s democratic process,” Blinken said.

However, hours after, on Tuesday, Blinken was on call with Tinubu ‘to emphasize his continued commitment to further strengthening the U.S.-Nigeria relationship with the incoming administration.’

A statement released by US State Department Spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said: “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke this morning with Nigerian President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu to emphasize his continued commitment to further strengthening the U.S.-Nigeria relationship with the incoming administration.

“The Secretary noted that the U.S.-Nigeria partnership is built on shared interests and strong people-to-people ties and that those links should continue to strengthen under President-elect Tinubu’s tenure. “Secretary Blinken and President-elect Tinubu discussed the importance of inclusive leadership that represents all Nigerians, continued comprehensive security cooperation, and reforms to support economic growth.”

The latest move was roundly condemned by Guterman who has consistently rejected the Nigeria polls as fraudulent.

Responding to a Twitter user (@kylieatwood), Tuesday, Guterman referred to the Biden policy as contradiction and confusion in the U.S State Department.

“1. Mr. Blinken announced yesterday that the U.S. has imposed entry restrictions on more Nigerians for undermining the democratic process during the 2023 election cycle in Nigeria.

“And yet …     

“2. On March 2, Ned Price, then Spokesperson for the State Department, wrongly congratulated Bola Tinubu for winning the presidential election in Nigeria.

“This is an outrageous contradiction.

“Google searches could have easily educated the U.S. federal government that Tinubu is a drug trafficker westafricaweekly.substack.com/p/bola-ahmed-t… and that the 2023 election was marred by fraud and violence nytimes.com/2023/02/28/wor…. 

“Yesterday, Vedant Patel claimed that these two things can be true at the same time: (1) Tinubu won the election and (2) the election was fraudulent. But sheer logic shows that these two things cannot both be true at the same time.     

“The U.S. State Department is sending the world contradictory messages.

“The 2023 presidential election in Nigeria was fraudulent and the U.S. must not offer congratulations to anyone for winning the election until such fraud is thoroughly investigated.

“I urge the U.S. federal government to repudiate its recognition of Tinubu as the winner of the Nigerian presidential election. The election is currently being contested in the Nigerian judiciary,” the medical health practitioner wrote via his Twitter handle (@JeffreyGuterman).

The United States had in March, this year officially congratulated the President-elect, Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian people on the outcome of the controversial presidential poll, a development that was faulted by the opposition who viewed the congratulatory message as “unnecessary”.

Though the congratulatory message also carried with it a charge on President Muhammadu Buhari not stifle attempts challenging Tinubu’s victory at the courts by opposition political parties, while also condemning widespread violence and intimidation of the electorate at the exercise.

The US further threatened to impose visa restriction on those indicted for electoral malpractices, a threat fulfilled by last Monday’s travel sanctions.

Reacting, Jeffrey appealed to the US government to ‘repudiate its recognition of Tinubu as the winner of the Nigerian presidential election,’ adding that ‘the election is currently being contested in the Nigerian judiciary.’

The 20-minute phone call between the US Secretary of State Blinken and Tinubu is the first of such since the declaration of the later as president-elect in February.

Tinubu assured the US Secretary that he will hit the ground running and unify the country upon his assumption of office on May 29, as he further pledged to work to ensure continued positive relations with the United States.

According to him, among his immediate priorities would be to deliver institutional reforms and development programs to deepen our democratic institutions and bring help to poor and vulnerable Nigerians, just as he expressed his determination to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and faithfully serve the people as their president.

While affirming his democratic bona fides, the President-elect expressed his absolute belief that the result of the elections, which he clearly won, reflected the will of the Nigerian people, adding that he would work to unite the country and ensure that Nigerians are happy and enjoy the benefits of democracy and progressive good governance.

Tinubu noted that without national unity, security, economic development and good governance, Nigeria would not become a better place to live in or play her proper role in the comity of African nations.

He urged the US to factor in Nigeria’s important place in Africa and provide needed assistance in the areas of security and economic investment in order for the nation to lead the way and be a shining example to the rest of the continent.

Responding, Secretary Blinken assured that Nigeria should expect a good and mutually-beneficial relationship with the US, as he promised to play his part in bringing a sustained and cordial relationship between the two nations to fruition, saying a democratic and peaceful Nigeria is important to the United States as it is to Africa.

Tinubu and Blinken ended their discussion with pleasant greetings and a promise to keep the channels of dialogue and communication open, whilst maintaining a strong relationship between the two nations.