–Boma Nwuke
The United States of America conducted an election across the 50 states on Tuesday ,November 3,2020.
The votes , both popular and electoral college in the election described as historic on Saturday, November 7,202, determined the victory of the Democratic candidate,Joe Biden .
However ,since Biden emerged President-elect, President Trump who lost the election has refused to recognise Biden as President-elect and had even gone ahead to say that he won the election even when he is aware that electoral college votes determine the winner
He requested for vote counts in battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada and the votes still being counted and turned in indicate that Biden is leading with a wide margin.
Key Republican officials in the White House, and Senators, have asked Trump not to concede as they ,without evidence support Trump’s claims of voter fraud .
Infact, the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, during a briefing at the State Department’s Headquarters told reporters that” there would be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration”
“We are ready, the world is watching what is taking place .We gonna count the votes, when the process is complete, there will be elector selected,there is a process, the constitution analysed that pretty clearly”
That was the response he gave to a reporter who innocently asked if governmentt officials were preparing to engage with Biden’s transition team.and if not,at what point does a delay hamper a smooth transition or pose a risk to national security?
Senate Leader ,Mitch McConnell has also backed Trump’s decision of non concession
Those are obvious signals of a once reverred country going bananas.
The United States that has consistently been at the forefront of overseing governments in the world and championed regime change in dictatorial administrations is going in the way of dictatorship. And unless something urgent is done, the country might just forget about being the role model it once was to other countries.
Again ,the U.S.democracy being the envy of allies and foes is derailing giving rival economies and those at its beck and call the energy to silently celebrate the current crisis in the country.
Already ,what is happening in the U.S .has given China the chance it needed to silence dissenting voices in Hong Kong
On Wednesday, 4 opposition members, Dennis Kwok, Alvin Yeung,Kwok Kaki and Kenneth Leung resigned from Hong Kong parliament over Beijing’s crackdown on dissents.
Trump’s refusal to concede may strengthen the appetite for dictatorship and worsen humanitarian crisis in Africa, middle-East countries and others
By refusing to recognise Biden as President-elect,by stifling the transition process and by arrogating to himself the power to remain as President even after a glaring defeat only diminishes the little respect remaining of his Presidency
Institionalising impunity in a democracy and foremost country as the United States is wrong and lessens the impact of America at the global corridors
Developing countries like ours look up to the states for Aid, direction in organising credible elections and effective handling of human rights issues.And in a situation the big brother is not able to remove the log in his eye in order to see clearly before removing the speck in his brother’s eye what then will happen?
Of course, there will be disrespect and isolationism
Let the U .S. tell the world now that it is still united and will come out stronger.
Let the occupant of the White House take the lead as a stateman and gallant loser and acknowledged that he lost the election to a better rival.
If a former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan could leave his personal interest behind and congratulate his challenger even when the result of the election was yet to be announced, then Trump has to do the same as not doing so would make Nigeria more united, stronger and civilised than the United States and that is least expected
What is clear however ,is what the world expect on January 20, ,2020. Would there be a leadership vacuum?, Would Biden be sworn in or it will go as Mike Pompeo has revealed?
