US House Member Blames Buhari for Postponement of Elections

The immediate past Chairman of the United States House of
Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa,
Representative Chris Smith, has blamed President Muhammadu Buhari
over the delay in conducting 2019 general election.

In a statement issued yesterday, he said: “Responsibility for
the delay of Nigeria’s presidential election lays squarely with
President Muhammadu Buhari and those close to him. Actions in
advance of the election — including removal of Supreme Court Chief
Justice Walter Onnoghen and arson attacks on Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) offices in opposition strongholds — are
undermining confidence that this election and subsequent
gubernatorial elections will be free and fair. At a minimum, the
presidential election must meet the 2015 standard, which saw a
peaceful transfer of power and a statement by the then-sitting
president that all bloodshed must be avoided.”

Smith also called upon the President Donald Trump’s
administration and the State Department to focus greater attention
to Nigeria.

“In addition to being sub-Saharan Africa’s most populous nation,
Nigeria is its biggest economy, and what happens in Nigeria has
ramifications beyond its borders,” Smith said.

“Given the magnitude of global problems Secretary Pompeo must
contend with, he should consider appointing a Special Envoy for
Nigeria vested with full authority. The State Department must use
all tools at its disposal, including visa denial and sanctioning
authority, to hold accountable those who undermine democracy and
foment sectarian and ethnic violence.”

Speaking further on the role of the State Department, Smith
asked Secretary Pompeo to conduct an internal investigation into
why a handful of State Department officials had apparently pushed
for a statement last month “welcoming” the results of a fraudulent
election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),

defying a reported interagency consensus that had sought
accountability and transparency.

“More than ‘unfortunately timed,’ that statement accepting
electoral fraud in the DRC sent a negative message throughout
sub-Saharan Africa,” Smith said.

“Indeed, it may be directly contributing to the electoral chaos
and violence we are seeing unfold in Nigeria. There must be an
internal investigation at State and those responsible must be held
to account.”