Former US President Jimmy Carter's refusal to congratulate his longtime friend, Olusegun Obasanjo, on his election victory in Nigeria in 1999 sparked controversy and accusations of election irregularities.
Both Jimmy Carter and Olusegun Obasanjo held leadership positions in their respective countries during the 1970s. They shared common ground as evangelical Baptist Christians and advocates for good governance and democracy. Their closeness became evident after leaving power, with Obasanjo stepping down as Nigeria 's military head of state in 1979 and Carter as US president two years later.
Despite their friendship, Carter maintained reservations about the 1999 Nigerian presidential election which saw Obasanjo return to power as a democratically elected president. Carter, leading a delegation from the Carter Center and the National Democratic Institute (NDI), observed the elections and expressed concerns about inflated voter participation and irregularities. Carter refrained from congratulating Obasanjo upon the announcement of his victory, leading to interpretations of silent protest against the election's conduct. Olu Falae, Obasanjo's opponent, echoed these sentiments, stating that even Carter, his friend, had not offered his congratulations. Falae characterized the election as a farce and asserted that it lacked fairness and transparency
Nigeria Election Jimmy Carter Olusegun Obasanjo Democracy Controversy
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