'I’m in disbelief' - Atiku expresses shock as US secretary of state, Antony Blinken calls Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has slammed the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken for engaging in a phone conversation with president-elect, Bola Tinubu.

Reports indicated that Bliken phoned Tinubu on Tuesday after announcing the imposition of visa restrictions on some individuals who undermined the democratic process during the 2023 elections.

Blinken, in a statement by the spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, Matthew Miller, informed Tinubu that the Joe Biden administration is committed to strengthening ties with the West-African country.

Reacting via his Twitter platform, Atiku interrogated Blinken’s decision to contact Tinubu, given US’s knowledge of the alleged fraudulent election that occurred in the country.

Atiku wrote: “I am in disbelief that @SecBlinken 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 @StateDept @POTUS @USinNigeria."

See his tweet below:

I am in disbelief that @SecBlinken 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.…

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) May 17, 2023