The United States of America has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to resist external “pressure and intimidation” in the upcoming general elections scheduled for February sixteenth and March second.

The United States’ Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, in a press statement, said that the upcoming elections in Nigeria would be an opportunity for the country to solidify its democratic leadership in Africa.

Pompeo said that the United States government supports a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful election that reflects the will of the Nigerian people adding noting that it is critical that the INEC
operates free from outside pressure and intimidation and in a totally objective manner.

He stated that Nigerian security services must provide a safe and secure environment for the Nigerian people to exercise their rights stressing that the United States and the international community have continued to call for credible and peaceful general elections in the country.

The country had described Nigeria’s 2019 general elections as “a critical test” for the country, the ECOWAS sub-region and the entire continent.