The United Kingdom Government has officially congratulated Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who emerged as the newly elected President of Nigeria following the presidential election that took place on Saturday, February 25, 2023. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu was declared winner of the election after receiving the highest number of votes and meeting the constitutional requirement of winning 25% of votes cast in two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation. In total, Tinubu secured 8,794,726 votes, as announced by the electoral body in the early hours of Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
In the congratulatory statement, the UK Government applauded the people of Nigeria for exercising their democratic rights by participating in the presidential and National Assembly elections. The UK Government also commended the Nigerian voters for their patience and resilience in ensuring that the democratic process was upheld. The statement read: “The United Kingdom commends Nigerian voters for their participation in the presidential and National Assembly elections and for their patience and resilience in exercising their democratic rights. We congratulate the President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Furthermore, the UK Government acknowledged the concerns expressed by observer missions and civil society regarding the organisation of the election process, including delays and technical challenges. In light of this, the UK Government urged the Nigerian authorities to carefully examine all concerns raised, take necessary actions to resolve any outstanding issues and ensure that the will of the Nigerian people is delivered. The statement added: “We note the position of opposition parties on the election outcome and the concerns expressed by observer missions and civil society about the organisation of the process, including delays and technical challenges. We encourage the authorities to examine all concerns carefully, take action to resolve outstanding issues and focus on delivering the will of the Nigerian people.”
In summary, the UK Government has congratulated Tinubu on his election victory while calling on the Nigerian government to address the concerns of the opposition parties and other stakeholders to ensure that the outcome of the election reflects the true will of the Nigerian people.