The United States Government has refused to comment or deny a statement credited to President Donald Trump, that Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari was “lifeless”, following a visit to the White House earlier this year.

Aruba Amirthanayagam, who is Counselor for Public Affairs, US Embassy, while speaking in Minna, Niger State on Tuesday during his visit to Zubair Idris, the Executive Director of Prestige FM Radio, said: “We have no specific comment on that, a newspaper published it, the paper should comment on it”.

Amirthanayagam also said that it will not take side in the Nigeria’s 2019 general election, saying it wants the winner to be elected in a free and fair contest.

“And we will do all we can to assist Nigeria’s government.

“The United States expects that the 2019 general elections will be free and transparent.

“I think we should repeat the success we had in the last election because we have had elections in some parts of Africa that have not gone well. What we got in 2015 was great for Nigeria and for the rest of Africa and other developing countries,” he said.