U.S. Congress certifies Biden’s victory after Capitol violence

The U.S. Congress has certified the election of Joe Biden as the next president of the United States.

By Samson Adenekan 

The certification, a constitutional requirement, was done hours after supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building to prevent the lawmakers from certifying the election.

At least four people have been reported dead from the ensuing violence at the Capitol building which has been condemned by Mr Biden and other American and world leaders.

Prior to the violent demonstrations at the Capitol, the lawmakers were clearly divided mostly on a partisan basis.

As culled from America media reports on Thursday, the pro-Biden lawmakers had rejected the moves to cancel both Georgia and Pennsylvania’s electoral votes for the elected president.

Mr Trump’s supporters in the Congress had also earlier strongly objected to Arizona, Nevada and Michigan’s electoral college votes for Mr Biden.

However, after the historic mob action at the U.S Capitol building halting the joint session of the lawmakers on Wednesday, Vice-President Mike Pence officially certified Mr Biden as the country’s president-elect, after counting all states’ Electoral College votes.

“The announcement of the state of the vote by the President of the Senate shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected President and Vice President of the United States, each for the term beginning on the 20th day of January 2021 and shall be entered together with the list of the votes on the journals of the Senate and the House of Representatives,” Mr Pence reportedly said.

Mr Trump and some of his supporters had earlier labelled his vice, Mr Pence, a betrayal and coward for not backing him.