US lawmaker bemoans Nigeria’s electoral process

United States Congressman, Gerald Connolly, has lamented over the manipulation of elections in Nigeria during an interactive session with constituents from Virginia who paid him a visit on Capitol Hill on Friday.

He also reacted to killings in Syria and the situation in Venezuela which he said were not getting adequate media attention.

While responding to a question raised by international human rights lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe who asked about the role played by the US government on ISIS relocation to Nigeria where Leah Sharibu was abducted and the poor turn out of the presidential elections, Congressman Connolly said that many observers agree that the Nigerian elections were not credible.

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“There were a lot of observers who would agree with you that the recent presidential/National Assembly elections were a sham and were not honest and did not produce legitimate results. Are there enough people who care about that to speak out? …We have to do a better job of paying much more attention to Africa… Africa is going to be the continent of the future.”

Connolly lamented over the activities of Boko Haram, Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups that have crept deep into the  African continent. He expressed concerns about the US government’s lack of adequate attention on Africa.

He also raised concerns on growing influence of the Chinese in the region. In response to another question, he said  Somali-American politician Ilhan Omar’s remarks were not news priority.

‘’People are dying in Syria, there’s malnutrition in Venezuela and elections are being stolen in Nigeria” he decried.

Gerald Edward Connolly is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia’s 11th congressional district. He was first elected in 2008.

By Todimu Ogunade…

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