Director Media and Publicity Tinubu/Shettima Campaign, Bayo Onanuga has urged American President, Joe Biden to disregard a letter by award-winning Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, about the February 25 presidential election.
Onanuga said this in a Friday tweet.
He was referring to the open letter penned by Adichie and published by The Atlantic on Thursday.
In the letter, the famed writer said that “rage is brewing” in Nigeria, especially among young people who exercised their franchise in the February 25 presidential election but were disappointed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The discontent, the despair, the tension in the air have not been this palpable in years,” she said.
In previous elections, she noted, many Nigerians stayed away from voting because they had little confidence in the electoral system.
Adichie explained that “cautious trust” in the system was rekindled ahead of the 2023 polls with the signing of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu’s assurance that “votes would be counted in the presence of voters and recorded in a result sheet, and that a photo of the signed sheet would immediately be uploaded to a secure server”.
She said that INEC reneged on this promise to Nigerians and presided over an election marred by irregularities.
Adichie said the subsequent announcement of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as President-elect was celebrated by “few people”.
The writer faulted the US State Department for congratulating Tinubu and berated Washington Post for echoing the state department’s stance.
Speaking to Biden, Adichie said, “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 prioritizes the rule of law, endorse a president-elect who has emerged from an unlawful process?”
In his reaction, Onanuga described Adichie’s letter as “fiction” inspired by the loss of her “tribesman” and presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
“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 said.