The United States (US) Government has reacted to the just concluded governorship election in Edo state, which was greeted with mixed reactions across Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., the mission called for calm and urged aggrieved persons to seek redress through legal means.
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo, defeated his closest rivals, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Asue Asue Ighodalo and the candidate of the Labour Party, Olumide Apata, to win the September 21 election.
Part of the US statement said, “The U.S. Mission in Nigeria commends the people of Edo State for the widely peaceful conduct of gubernatorial elections on September 21 and reiterates calls for calm following the announcement of results.
“We commend Governor Obaseki’s appeal for peace and urge all stakeholders, including INEC, to support established electoral processes and respect legal procedures to challenge results.
“Transparency and due process are crucial to maintaining public confidence in any democratic system. The United States reaffirms our commitment to supporting free, fair, transparent, and credible elections in Nigeria and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
