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| [PHOTO: Mark Fischer/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0] |
Washington: United States has expressed “deep disappointment” over Nigeria’s decision to postpone presidential elections, which had been scheduled for February 14.
“Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process. The international community will be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a media statement.
Kerry underscored the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays in elections.
“As I reaffirmed when I visited Lagos last month, we support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related violence,” he stressed.