Zelensky Under Fire For Congratulating Nigeria’s President-elect, Tinubu

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has received backlash after he felicitated with Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was declared winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

Zelensky had, in a tweet via his Twitter handle on Thursday, while congratulating Tinubu, said his country was ready to work with Nigeria to overcome global challenges, including threats to food security.

He tweeted: “Congratulations @officialABAT on the victory in the election of the President of Nigeria. I look forward to close cooperation. I am convinced that the two-way interaction 🇺🇦 and 🇳🇬 will strengthen. Ukraine is determined to work together to overcome global challenges, including threats to food security!”

However, some Twitter users, mostly Nigerians, trolled Zelensky over his congratulatory tweet to Tinubu, while others supported the Ukrainian President.

Here are some tweets gathered on Twitter:

@obanojnr, “Nigerians are right now in grief.. please don’t add to it.. Wishing someone CONGRATULATIONS who rigged his way into power is very wrong.. so many Nigerians were injured, died in the course of last election..For this, I say CONGRATULATIONS TO RUSSIA..

@OdinKinetic, “Congratulations to Putin and the Russian federation. We the citizens of Nigeria stand with you and God will always protect the people of Russia.”

@IjeleMela, “Corrupt people always know how to align with one another. This guy is probably very corrupt.”

@WeriseB, “May Putin never leave Ukraine!! Amen!”

@valentinowpg said, “Mr. President you may have to do this congratulation once again in the nearest future. We know when you won your presidential election, it was the will of Ukrainians that voted for you and voted out the pro-Russian govt. Ours wasn’t the will of the people. Good luck in the war.”

@gaiuschibueze said, “No wonder Russia wants to run over your country.”