A former vice president and presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, says he had a telephone conversation with the United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on Friday.

Atiku, who is one of the frontrunner candidates in Nigeria’s forthcoming presidential election, disclosed this on his Twitter handle.

According to him, the most senior US diplomat called him to reiterate the support of the international community for Nigeria as the nation prepares for its elections.

The former vice president said, “Earlier today I received a call from US Secretary of State, @SecPompeo, who reaffirmed the international community’s commitment to free and fair elections in Nigeria.”

He also wished his supporters and electorates across the country a peaceful exercise.

Atiku received the call two days after a former US President, Bill Clinton, called President Muhammadu Buhari.

Clinton had also wished the nation well ahead of the polls and regretted his inability to visit Nigeria to witness the signing of the final peace accord the presidential candidates.

President Buhari, on his part, assured the former US president of his commitment to free, fair and credible elections.

Originally scheduled to hold nationwide from this morning, the election was postponed by the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) around midnight. The commission, citing logistics challenges, announced next week Saturday, February 23, as the new date for the elections while the Governorship and State House of Assembly ballot was shifted from March 2 to 9, 2019.

•Adapted from a Channels TV report.

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