Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a renowned author, has expressed her disapproval of the United States’ congratulatory message to Bola Tinubu, the President-elect who was declared the winner of the February 25 presidential election.

Following the declaration of Bola Tinubu as the winner of the Nigerian presidential election on February 25, a spokesperson for the US State Department issued a statement commending Nigeria on the outcome while emphasizing the need for calm amidst allegations of voter fraud and technical difficulties.

The spokesperson acknowledged that many Nigerians and political parties have expressed their dissatisfaction with the conduct of the election process, particularly the use of new technical elements that were implemented for the first time in a presidential election cycle.

In an open letter addressed to US President Joe Biden and published in The Atlantic on Thursday, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie expressed her puzzlement over the US description of the Nigerian presidential election as a “competitive election” that marks a new period for Nigerian politics and democracy.

She went on to argue that American intelligence cannot possibly be so incompetent as to not recognize the flaws and irregularities that have been reported in the electoral process.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie also sounded the alarm about the growing anger among young people in Nigeria. She expressed concern about the palpable discontent, despair, and tension that have not been this intense in years.

She pointed to Biden’s past advocacy for a global community for democracy and his emphasis on standing up for justice and the rule of law as reasons to expect a more nuanced understanding of the situation in Nigeria.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie argued that a global community for democracy cannot flourish in the face of indifference from its most influential member.

The letter partly reads, “Something remarkable happened on the morning of February 25, the day of the Nigerian presidential election. Many Nigerians went out to vote holding in their hearts a new sense of trust. Cautious trust, but still trust. Since the end of military rule in 1999, Nigerians have had little confidence in elections. To vote in a presidential election was to brace yourself for the inevitable aftermath: fraud.

“Elections would be rigged because elections were always rigged; the question was how badly. Sometimes voting felt like an inconsequential gesture as predetermined “winners” were announced.

“A law passed last year, the 2022 Electoral Act, changed everything. It gave legal backing to the electronic accreditation of voters and the electronic transmission of results, in a process determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The chair of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, assured Nigerians that votes would be counted in the presence of voters and recorded in a result sheet, and that a photo of the signed sheet would immediately be uploaded to a secure server.

“When rumors circulated about the commission not keeping its word, Yakubu firmly rebutted them. In a speech at Chatham House in London (a favorite influence-burnishing haunt of Nigerian politicians), he reiterated that the public would be able to view “polling-unit results as soon as they are finalized on election day.

“Nigerian democracy had long been a two-party structure—power alternating between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party—until this year, when the Labour Party, led by Peter Obi, became a third force. Obi was different; he seemed honest and accessible, and his vision of anti-corruption and self-sufficiency gave rise to a movement of supporters who called themselves “Obi-dients.”

“Unusually large, enthusiastic crowds turned up for his rallies. The APC considered him an upstart who could not win, because his small party lacked traditional structures. It is ironic that many images of altered result sheets showed votes overwhelmingly being transferred from the Labour Party to the APC.

“I hope, President Biden, that you do not personally share this cordial condescension. You have spoken of the importance of a “global Community for Democracy,” and the need to stand up for “justice and the rule of law.” A global community for democracy cannot thrive in the face of apathy from its most powerful member. Why would the United States, which prioritizes the rule of law, endorse a president-elect who has emerged from an unlawful process?

“I hope it will not surprise you, President Biden, if I argue that the American response to the Nigerian election also bears the faint taint of that word, compromised, because it is so removed from the actual situation in Nigeria as to be disingenuous.

“I supported Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate, and hoped he would win, as polls predicted, but I was prepared to accept any result, because we had been assured that technology would guard the sanctity of votes.”

“The smoldering disillusionment felt by many Nigerians, according to the author, is not so much because their candidate did not win as because the election they had dared to trust was, in the end, so unacceptably and unforgivably flawed.

“Congratulating its outcome, President Biden, tarnishes America’s self-proclaimed commitment to democracy. Please do not give the sheen of legitimacy to an illegitimate process. The United States should be what it says it is,” added.