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Former Governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu and world leaders have congratulated the candidate of the Democratic Party, Joe Biden, who emerged winner of the Presidential election in the United States at the weekend.
And as Trump has refused to accept the outcome, so too have many of the around 70m people who voted for him, claiming instead that his loss was the result of ballot fraud, a baseless assertion promoted by the White House and media manipulation.
“We need to make sure every legal vote is found and to make sure this election is fair,” the Yorktown state representative Mike Jones told a cheering crowd. “If we allow this country to succumb to socialism, it will not because the left overpowered us, it will be because good men and women did nothing.”
“The election has been called by the media. The government has not certified the votes, so anything could still happen,” said Mary Wallace, a Harrisburg resident, adding: “I want nothing more than for Donald Trump to have four more years.” Trump called the election ‘stolen’ yesterday morning as he tweeted claims from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich that Democrats ‘stole what they had to steal.’
But he avoided using his own voice in a series of tweets, instead highlighting Gingrich who had appeared on Fox and Friends and Turley, a registered Democrat who had spoken against Trump’s impeachment as a Republican witness to the House Judiciary Committee. Almost immediately, the tweets were flagged by Twitter as possible misinformation.
At the same time, Trump left the White House to play golf again, just like he did on Saturday.
Describing the victory of Biden as victory for the world, Kalu emphasised the role of the U.S. in global development. He stressed that the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and the US has deepened over the years, adding that both entities have sustained their economic and political ties.
In a goodwill message he personally signed, the former governor said, “ the news of the emergence of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as President- elect and Vice -President -elect respectively of the United States of America (USA) is a good development not only for the US but the world at large. “The electoral process demonstrated in the US presidential election is worth emulating by other countries across the globe.
“Democracy must be sustained in all parts of the world for the sake of global peace and stability.
“The victory of the candidate of the democratic party is indeed well-deserved, remarkable and historic. The duo of Biden and Harris have the goodwill to lead the USA” While calling on the USA to further strengthen its ties with Africa and Nigeria in particular, Kalu wished the newly elected President and Vice President of the USA success in their new roles.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo added his congratulations and spoke of Africa’s pride in seeing the election of Ms Harris, who has an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father. “We in Africa are proud of her success.
Also, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Biden and Americans “for a successful and peaceful election in strict adherence to democratic principles and extant laws of their country, despite the intense competition.”
The party, while wishing the US President -elect a successful tenure, urged Nigerians to use the polll “ as a catalyst and preparatory template to consolidate on our democratic processes ahead of subsequent general elections in the country.”
Former President George W. Bush congratulated Biden in a phone call Sunday and said that, while Trump has the right to pursue legal challenges and recounts, the 2020 race was “fundamentally fair” and “its outcome is clear.”
The gesture by Bush, the only living former Republican president, was a break from his party’s outgoing president, Trump, who has so far refused to concede the race. In the statement, Bush said he had called Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris yesterday.
“Though we have political differences, I know Joe Biden to be a good man, who has won his opportunity to lead and unify our country,” Bush said. “The President-elect reiterated that while he ran as a Democrat, he will govern for all Americans. I offered him the same thing I offered Presidents Trump and Obama: my prayers for his success, and my pledge to help in any way I can.”
Bush also offered congratulations in the statement to Trump “on a hard-fought campaign,” nodding to his “extraordinary political achievement” of winning the votes of more than 70 million Americans, the second-most in history behind Biden. “They have spoken, and their voices will continue to be heard through elected Republicans at every level of government,” Bush said.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said Mr Biden’s “emphatic win” was “a demonstration of Americans’ confidence in the leadership credentials of the former vice-president”. “President-elect Joe Biden is a friend of our country who has visited us in the past and helped in strengthening the strong ties that exist between us and the United States of America,” President Kenyatta said in statement.
“His win therefore presents an even bigger and better platform for our two countries to collaborate more closely for the prosperity of the people of our two nations.” Uganda’s leader, Yoweri Museveni, sent congratulations to Mr Biden and greetings from the Ugandan people, reminding him of the countries’ close links.
“The USA, with its black population of 47.4m people, as well as a large Christian population linked with us by faith, could easily be a natural ally of Uganda and Africa,” President Museveni tweeted.
“Previous American presidents have already positively used these linkages by putting in place the African Growth And Opportunity Act (Agoa)… We salute this policy & hope that President Biden maintains it.”
“During our struggle for freedom, we came to know him as a senator who opposed apartheid in South Africa and the region,” Namibian President Hage Geingob tweeted. “I look forward to working with @JoeBiden for stronger bilateral relations and multilateralism for a fairer world.”
“He assumes the leadership of the United States at a very challenging time for the country and the world as we all face a global health crisis. I urge all Americans to forge together in peace and unity,” George Weah, president of Liberia tweeted.
“As the traditional ally of the United States, Liberia stands ready to further enhance and rekindle our long, historic and unique bilateral relations. Congratulations!” “The president stressed the aspiration for co-operation and joint action to strengthen the strategic bilateral relations between Egypt and the United States, in the interest of the two friendly countries and peoples,” the Reuters news agency quoted Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi spokesman as saying.
“Zimbabwe wishes you every successes in leading the American people. I look forward to working with you to increase co-operation between our two nations,” Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa tweeted.
“It is my sincere hope that President-Elect Biden’s tenure of office will be marked by the delivery of unity, security, progress and prosperity to all Americans,” Ghana’s Nana Akufo-Addo tweeted.
“I am hopeful that over the course of his presidency, relations between Ghana and the United States of America will continue to grow from strength to strength, relations which have, over the years, been based on a shared agenda of freedom, development, progress and prosperity.”
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Niger’s President Issoufou Mahamadou, Senegalese President Macky Sall, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Somalia’s leader Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known as Farmajo, were among those who took to Twitter saying they looked forward to working with Mr Biden:
Canadian leader Justin Trudeau emphasised the close alliance between Canada and the US in his remarks. “Congratulations Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” Trudeau wrote on Twitter. “Our two countries are close friends, partners and allies. We share a relationship that’s unique on the world stage. I’m really looking forward to working together and building on that with you both.”
In Europe, the reactions were led by Irish politicians. “I want to congratulate the new President Elect of the USA (Joe Biden),” Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin tweeted after the result emerged.
Martin also referenced Biden’s Irish-American heritage, adding: “Joe Biden has been a true friend of this nation throughout his life and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead. I also look forward to welcoming him back home when the circumstances allow!”
Ireland’s health minister Simon Coveney said the country’s government looked “forward to working with a (Biden/Harris) presidency to sustain & strengthen Irish American relations, and so much more.”
The leaders of US allies South Korea and Australia also congratulated Biden and Harris.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement that “the President-elect has been a great friend of Australia over many years,” and noted that Biden will step into the role at a crucial time as the world battles the Covid-19 pandemic.
“American leadership is indispensable to meeting these challenges and upholding the rules, norms and standards of our international community,” Morrison said. Morrison thanked Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for their work with Australia over the past four years. South Korean President Moon Jae-in tweeted he looked forward to working with Biden and Harris. “Our alliance is strong and the bond between our two countries is rock-solid,” Moon said.
In France Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo also reacted on Twitter, declaring “Welcome back America!” “While we are about to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, this victory symbolizes our need to act together more than ever, in view of climate emergency,” she wrote.
French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier posted a lively tweet, writing: “The Americans have chosen their President. We have a lot to do to overcome today’s challenges. Let’s work together!” Norbert Röttgen, Chairman of the German Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was “very happy for all my American friends and for this great chance to revive our transatlantic friendship,” while Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Germany wanted “to invest in our cooperation for a new transatlantic beginning, a new deal.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan said Biden and Harris’ win meant it was “time to get back to building bridges, not walls” in a dig at President Trump’s policy of building a wall at the US-Mexico border. Khan and Trump have clashed repeatedly over the years. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also congratulated Biden and Harris and stressed the importance of the transatlantic relationship.
“Congratulations to Joe Biden on his election as President of the United States and to Kamala Harris on her historic achievement,” Johnson said on Twitter. “The US is our most important ally and I look forward to working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security.”
