He told Fox News he would “of course” refer to the FBI any offer of damaging information about a political opponent.

Mr Trump disputed in another interview aired this week whether the FBI should be notified of such approaches.

Democrats said he was giving Russia the go-ahead to meddle again in the next 2020 presidential election.

What did President Trump tell Fox?

On Friday, Mr Trump called into the Fox & Friends show to give a 50-minute live interview.

Asked how he would respond to any offer from another government to help his campaign, Mr Trump said: “Of course, you give it to the FBI or report it to the attorney general or somebody like that.”

He continued: “But of course you do that. You couldn’t have that happen with our country.”

Mr Trump also maintained he would still at least review any such foreign-supplied information.

“Of course, you have to look at it, because if you don’t look at it, you won’t know it’s bad,” he said.

What did he say earlier this week?

In an interview broadcast this week on ABC News, Mr Trump pushed back on whether he should report to law enforcement officials any foreign offer of help for his re-election bid.

Mr Trump said: “If somebody called from a country, Norway, ‘we have information on your opponent’ – oh, I think I’d want to hear it.”

“It’s not an interference, they have information,” Mr Trump added, “I think I’d take it.”

“If I thought there was something wrong, I’d go maybe to the FBI – if I thought there was something wrong.”

When the ABC anchor referred to the FBI director telling Congress his agency should be made aware of any such foreign election meddling, Mr Trump said: “The FBI director is wrong.

What was the reaction?

In a pointed tweet, Federal Election Commission chairwoman Ellen Weintraub clarified the rules.Skip Twitter post by @EllenLWeintraubView image on Twitter

Even several of the president’s fellow Republicans spoke out against his remarks to ABC.

Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham said the comments were “wrong”.

Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said the president “does not know right from wrong”.

However, Republicans cried hypocrisy, bring up how Russian comedians posing as a Ukrainian politician prank-called the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee in April 2017.

Adam Schiff had greeted the hoaxers’ claim that Vladimir Putin was blackmailing Mr Trump with naked photos as “very helpful”. In a recording of the call, Mr Schiff also said he would tell the FBI.

What else did Trump tell Fox?

During Friday’s lengthy interview, given on his 73rd birthday, the president dismissed calls from an ethics watchdog to fire top White House aide Kellyanne Conway.

The Office of Special Counsel said Mrs Conway’s disparaging comments about Democratic candidates were banned political activities under the Hatch Act.

But Mr Trump told Fox & Friends: “No, I’m not going to fire her. I think she’s a terrific person.

“I think you’re entitled to free speech in this country.”

Source – BBC

The post Trump retreats on election meddling remarks appeared first on Daily Concord.

INEC, in the early hours of Saturday, February 16, 2019, cited logistics as its reason for postponing the elections.

According to a statement sent to Pulse, the PDP presidential candidate said President Buhari should be blamed.

Atiku said the postponement is part of the Federal Government’s plan to disenfranchise Nigerians.

He also called on his supporters to be patient, peaceful and law-abiding as they go about their business.

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Read the full statement below:

As you know, the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced a postponement of the elections until 23 February and 9 March respectively.

The Buhari administration has had more than enough time and money to prepare for these elections and the Nigerian people were poised and ready to perform their civic responsibility by voting in the elections earlier scheduled for Saturday, 16 February, 2019. 

This postponement is obviously a case of the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. By instigating this postponement, the Buhari administration hopes to disenfranchise the Nigerian electorate in order to ensure that turn out is low on the rescheduled date. Nigerians must frustrate their plans by coming out in even greater numbers on Saturday, 23 February and Saturday, 9 March respectively.

Knowing that the Nigerian people are determined to reject them, they are desperate and will do anything in their power to avoid their rejection by the Nigerian people. 

Their plan is to provoke the public, hoping for a negative reaction, and then use that as an excuse for further anti-democratic acts.

As such, I call on all Nigerians to be patient. We have tolerated the maladministration of this government for four years. We can extend our tolerance a few more days and give them our verdict via our votes.

Maintain the peace and be law abiding. Do not react to this provocation with anger, violence or any action that might be exploited by those who do not want this election to hold. Remain calm. We will overcome this. You can postpone an election, but you cannot postpone destiny.

ALSO READ: Opposition kicks, Nigerians condemn INEC’s postponement of 2019 presidential election, others

Please come out to vote on Saturday, 23 February and Saturday, 9 March respectively. Frustrate those who do not want this election to hold by coming out in very large numbers. That is the best antidote to their plans. 

May God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

APC condemns postponement

The All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council has also condemned the postponement of the elections.

The presidential and national assembly elections will now hold on February 23, 2019 instead of February 16, 2019.

Read more at:

The post Election Postponement: Atiku blames Buhari, calls for calm appeared first on Daily Concord.