Biden’s Inaguaration: Can Nigeria Emulate USA?

President Muhammadu Buhari penultimate week congratulated the newly inaugurated President of United States of America, Joe Biden and promised that Nigeria will partner with his administration.

BY OBUTE JAMES

Joe Biden who was inaugurated as the 46^th President of the United States penultimate Wednesday 20^th January, 2021 defeated his predecessor, Donald Trump who was then the incumbent president.

Joe Biden, who was the Vice President of US during Barak Obama’s tenure was the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party while Trump who lost election to him was the candidate of the Republican Party.

Though Nigeria is operating presidential system of government like the USA, many wonder why politicians particularly those in power fail to adhere strictly to the democratic norms when it comes to credible and transparent election.

Apart from Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, no any other elected president in the history of Nigeria accepted defeat while in power.

Some quarters are of the view that the 2019 Presidential Election in Nigeria was shifted by the Independent National Electoral Commission because of the fear that the incumbent President Buhari would have lost the election, if it was conducted as earlier scheduled.

Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday, declaring that “democracy has prevailed.”

On a chilly Washington day dotted with snow flurries, a bipartisan trio of ex-presidents along with the elite of nation’s government gathered, ensuring the quadrennial ceremony persevered, even though it was encircled by security forces evocative of a war zone and devoid of crowds because of the corona virus pandemic.

“The will of the people has been heard, and the will of the people has been heeded. We’ve learned again that democracy is precious and democracy is fragile. At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed,” Biden said. “This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day. A day in history and hope, of renewal and resolve.”

And then he pivoted to challenges ahead, acknowledging the surging virus that has claimed more than 400,000 lives in the United States. Biden looked out over a capital city dotted with empty storefronts that attest to the pandemic’s deep economic toll and where summer protests laid bare the nation’s renewed reckoning on racial injustice.

Flouting tradition, Donald Trump departed Washington on Wednesday morning ahead of the inauguration rather than accompany his successor to the Capitol. Though three other former presidents — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama — gathered, ensuring the quadrennial ceremony persevered, even though it was encircled by security forces evocative of a war zone and devoid of crowds because of the corona virus pandemic.

 In less than 48 hours after his inauguration, Joe Biden reversed Donald Trump policy that restricted the granting of immigrant visas to Nigerians.

In January 2020, Trump had expanded curbs on immigration to include six more countries, including Nigeria.

At the time, the US government said the policy was designed to tighten security for countries that don’t comply with the U.S. minimum security standards or cooperate to prevent illegal immigration.

But the Biden administration, which campaigned partly on a message of diversity, is seeking to re-open America to the world.

The reversal is part of a 10-day onslaught of executive actions intended to overturn key Trump policies without waiting for Congress, on topics ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change and criminal justice, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

Biden has halted the US exit from the World Health Organization, stopped construction of Trump’s cherished wall on the Mexican border, and rescinded a ban on visitors from several Muslim-majority nations.

He has also committed the United States to rejoining the Paris climate accord, blocked an oil pipeline project, and froze Arctic drilling in a raft of executive orders signed hours after taking office Wednesday.

President Buhari refused to sign an amendment to the Electoral Act passed by the 8^th Notational Assembly.  

Nigerians are eager to see an amendment to the Electoral Act that will indeed give power to the electorate as seen in the US election.