2023 Election: INEC, US Govt Officials Meet In Abuja
The United States Assistant Secretary of State for Bureau of Africa Affairs, Molly Phee; and the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, on Monday met with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
Phee in her remarks, expressed conviction that the elections would be peacefully conducted and democracy protected, as the country has demonstrated since 1999.
She also noted that the US does not have a preferred candidate, but that it supports the electoral process.
She added that the forthcoming general elections “matter to the United States, because the US is interested in consolidating democracy, and doing so peacefully.
The INEC Chairman on his part said the Commission is interested in consolidating the gains of democracy.
The chairman reassured the delegation that the commission is on the right path to conducting the elections as scheduled as 12 out of all 14 pre-election activities in the schedule have been implemented.
The meeting was reportedly held in Abuja, hours after Yakubu met with leaders of political parties ahead of the general elections.