Internationally acclaimed writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has criticized the US State Department for congratulating Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite a flawed electoral process.
In an open letter to President of the United States, Joe Biden, Adichie referenced reports of widespread violence, ballot box snatching, voter’s intimidation, and other malpractices.
She went on to warn that it would “tarnish America’s self-proclaimed commitment to democracy and give the sheen of legitimacy to an illegitimate process”, if Joe Biden recognizes Tinubu’s presidency.
In the Atlantic article, titled “Nigeria’s Hollow Democracy”, Chimamanda stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission failed to deliver on its promise to upload election results from polling units in real-time via its result viewing portal.
She also said that the nation’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, may have been compromised based on its conduct, particularly its eagerness to declare a winner despite objections from worried citizens.
According to her, “the battle for influence in Africa will not be won by supporting the same undemocratic processes for which China is criticized.”
