Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a renowned author and outspoken activist, has penned an open letter to US President Joe Biden questioning why America congratulated the winner of Nigeria’s “disastrous” February election.
the letter, titled ‘Nigeria’s Hollowed Democracy‘ and published in The Atlantic, Adichie highlights the evidence of voting irregularities that emerged after the vote, arguing that the election was rigged and “done in such a shoddy, shabby manner that it insulted the intelligence of Nigerians“.
Adichie points out that following the passage of the 2022 Electoral Act in Nigeria, which gave legal backing to the vote-counting process,
Nigerians went out to vote on the morning of February 25, holding in their hearts a new sense of trust, albeit cautious. However, what followed was a breach of that trust when social media became flooded with evidence of voting irregularities the next day, including numbers that had been crossed out and rewritten, some written originally in black ink had been rewritten in blue, and some blunderingly whited-out with Tipp-Ex.
In her letter, Adichie questions why the US State Department congratulated the winner and accepted the election results. She went on to argue that doing so tarnished America’s self-proclaimed commitment to democracy. She writes,
American intelligence surely cannot be so inept. A little homework and they would know what is manifestly obvious to me and so many others: The process was imperiled not by technical shortcomings but by deliberate manipulation.”
Adichie goes on to implore Biden to stand up for “justice and the rule of law“. As the president of a powerful nation, he should not endorse a president-elect who has emerged from an unlawful process. Especially in a country like Nigeria. She writes,
A global community for democracy cannot thrive in the face of apathy from its most powerful member. Why would the United States, which prioritizes the rule of law, endorse a president-elect who has emerged from an unlawful process? Congratulating [the election’s] outcome, President Biden, tarnishes America’s self-proclaimed commitment to democracy. Please do not give the sheen of legitimacy to an illegitimate process. The United States should be what it says it is.”
Adichie’s open letter to President Biden has once again highlighted the ongoing issues surrounding democracy and free and fair elections in Nigeria. It also serves as a reminder that the world is aware of issues happening from a global view. Leaders must therefore take a stand against any attempt to undermine the democratic process. It shouldn’t matter if it is in the World’s poverty capital, Nigeria, or the self-acclaimed world superpower, the U.S.
Be sure to check the full letter here. What do you think about Adichie’s response to Biden’s message? Do you think she was harsh enough in her letter? Or do we think Nigeria should move on and let bygones be bygones?
