The apparent invitation for President Joe Biden of the United States of America to meet with President Bola Tinubu has been criticised as improper and despicable by Timi Frank, a former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and US Presidential envoy, Ambassador Molly Phee, conveyed Biden’s request, he claimed, undermining US policy towards democracy and the integrity of elections.
Frank claimed in a statement released on Wednesday that the meeting scheduled for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September was suspicious since Tinubu now lacks legitimacy because the outcome of the 2023 presidential election is being challenged in court.
“Given the pending lawsuits contesting Tinubu’s election as president and the numerous inquiries ongoing regarding his character, true identity, and academic records both in Nigeria and the USA, this move by Biden is unquestionably anti-American and sets a poor example for collaborations.
When people are aware of Tinubu’s lack of legitimacy and the rigged election that put him in power, it is insulting to claim that Biden has only chosen to meet with him as the lone African president outside of the UNGA.
“To me, if they want to talk about African matters, they can talk to any other legitimate African leader on the continent.
But it is obvious that they just want to meet with him to advance their own interests, and the US is currently prosecuting the former president Donald Trump for this despicable behaviour, he added.
The US is trying to play to the gallery by inviting Tinubu as the only African leader Biden desires to meet at the UNGA, which, according to Frank, is discouraging at a time when everyone is excitedly awaiting the results of the Presidential Election Tribunal.
Prior to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal’s decision on the lawsuits contesting the President’s legitimacy, he pushed Biden to withdraw his invitation to Tinubu.
