Biden Joins White House Interference in Nigerian Democracy

[…] And this (Obama’s) administration goes to great lengths to ensure that we don’t give even the appearance of interfering or attempting to influence the outcomes of a democratically held election in another country. And for that reason the President will not be meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu when he visits the U.S. in March.

“As a matter of long-standing practice and principle, we do not see heads of state or candidates in close proximity to their elections, so as to avoid the appearance of influencing a democratic election in a foreign country,” White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said in a statement. “Accordingly, the President will not be meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu because of the proximity to the Israeli election, which is just two weeks after his planned address to the U.S. Congress.”

Josh Earnest’s press briefing on January 23^rd 2015 outlined the parameters which the United States should take towards all democratically held elections, including the election taking place on March 28^th in Nigeria. So John Kerry’s late January visit to Nigeria on its face should be chalked up to ensuring peaceful democratically held elections?

According to the Washington Free Beacon, David Axelrod’s AKPD lobbying firm has been found to be conducting work on General Muhammadu Buhari’s behalf. AKPD’s ties to the Obama Administration can give insightful reasoning into why John Kerry flew to Nigeria amid Boko Haram’s advancement into the northeastern town of Maiduguri at the time. The United States wants to show concern about post-election violence, but David Axelrod’s paycheck and some of Nigeria’s social policies seem to be shifting loyalties in United States political parties toward Buhari.

On Wednesday, the Vice President of the United States Joe Biden spoke with both incumbent Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari over the phone to discuss how the United States would like to see the outcome of the elections handled.

The Vice President applauded both gentlemen for their singing of the Abuja Accord in mid-January to condemn and avoid violence throughout the election. Unfortunately, the postponement of the democratic elections due to Boko Haram’s violence has given rise to desperate political attacks between both parties.

The work of the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct free, fair, and credible elections for sustainable democracy in Nigeria was affirmed by the Vice President as a step in the right direction. The INEC announced that as of the end of February, it has distributed 79% of the total Permanent Voter Cards for collection by voters in the country.

The Vice President also noted his concern over the recent violence in election related events and ensured to both candidates that violence does not belong in democratic elections. Recently, a policeman was killed and several supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) were injured at a rally at an Anglican Church in the state of Okirikia.

The mission of United States diplomacy at the moment in Nigeria should be to deepen democracy. Nigeria’s people acknowledge their own burden in the country with respect to Boko Haram, social injustice, and the challenges of a fair election. In particular, Secretary of State John Kerry is critical of the Nigerian government in rescheduling it’s election date even when the United States refuses to give military aid to Nigeria to try and have their elections take place February 14^th.  Overall, Washington has stayed neutral in the fighting against Boko Haram yet insulted and halted Nigeria in its effort to hold a democratic election.