US Secretary, Blinken, Calls Tinubu, Tasks Him on Inclusive Leadership

•I’ll hit the ground running, unify our people, says president-elect 

•Atiku reacts, says development inconceivable

Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, Tuesday,  called to congratulate the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and tasked him on inclusive leadership that represents all Nigerians.

Responding to the charge, Tinubu promised to hit the ground running upon assuming office also undertook to unify the Nigerian people, while pledging to work with the US government for better ties.

But the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has immediately reacted to the development, describing it as inconceivable and contradictory, coming from the US, which just banned persons believed to have contributed to Nigeria’s poor outing at the just concluded general election.

Blinken, in a telephone conversation with Tinubu, also emphasised his continued commitment to further strengthening the US-Nigeria relationship with the incoming administration.

In a statement yesterday by the office of the spokesperson, US Department of State, Matthew Miller, Blinken noted that the US-Nigeria partnership was built on shared interests and strong people-to-people ties and that those links should continue to strengthen under 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 statement stated.

However, the president-elect has promised to hit the ground running and unify the country upon his assumption of office on May 29.

In a statement by the Office of the President-elect and signed by Tunde Rahman, Tinubu pledged to work to ensure continued positive relations with the United States.

He said his immediate priorities would be to deliver institutional reforms and development programmes to deepen the country’s  democratic institutions and bring help to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

Expressing his determination to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and faithfully serve the people as their president, Tinubu recalled being granted asylum by the US, when he was forced into exile during his struggle for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria.

While reaffirming his democratic credentials during the talks that lasted about 20 minutes, the president-elect expressed his absolute belief that the result of the elections, which he clearly won, reflected the will of the Nigerian people.

He, therefore, 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.

However, Atiku, who said he was in disbelief that Blinken called Tinubu, said the call was a contradiction to publicly held view of the US position on the February 25 presidential election

Atiku, who took to his verified tweeter handle said, “I am in disbelief that Secretary Antony Blinken called Tinubu, a contradiction to the publicly stated position of the US on Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. This is inconceivable, considering that America, as the bastion of democracy, is well briefed on the sham election of February 25.

“To give legitimacy to the widely acknowledged fraudulent election in Nigeria can be demoralising to citizens, who have hedged their bet on democracy and the sanctity of the ballot.”