Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, on Friday night said he had already started preparing for work as president of the United States.
In a speech from Wilmington, Delaware, Mr Biden reiterated that he would win the election, even with counting of votes still ongoing.
“We don’t have a final declaration of victory yet, but the numbers tell us it’s clear. We are going to win this race,” he stated.
The former vice president said he and his running mate, Kamala Harris, were already meeting with experts as they prepare for the White House.
As of the time of the speech, Mr Biden’s lead over President Donald Trump was growing in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania where Mr Trump was initially ahead.
He said Americans had given him a “mandate for action” on the coronavirus pandemic, the economy, climate change, and systemic racism.
According to Reuters, Mr Biden’s address was originally planned as a victory speech, but he changed his approach in the absence of a formal declaration of a winner.
“We’re beating Donald Trump by over four million votes, and that’s a margin that is still growing as well.
“One of the things I’m especially proud of is how well we’ve done well across America,” he said.
Acknowledging the frustration of many Americans over the slow voting counting process, Mr Biden sued for patience.
“I know watching these vote tallies on TV moves very slow, and as slow as it goes, it can be numbing.
“But never forget, the tallies aren’t just numbers. They represent votes and voters, men and women who exercised their fundamental right to have their voice heard,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, Mr Biden was ahead with 264 electoral college votes against Trump’s 214, according to the Associated Press tally.
Defiant
But President Trump has remained defiant, warning Mr Biden in a tweet not to “wrongfully claim” victory.
“Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!” he said.
The president said he had “such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by”.
Mr Biden has overtaken the president in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania where Trump was initially ahead.
“Perhaps these leads will return as our legal proceedings move forward!” he added.
Vote counting was still ongoing in five battleground states as of 8.30 p.m. (2.30 a.m. Nigerian time).
For Mr Biden and Democrats, victory is not a matter of if but when, with the former vice president saying on Thursday he had no doubt he would be the next president.
Mr Trump’s campaign organisation dismissed the projection, saying it was based on results in four states where the president was still in the race.
Matt Morgan, counsel to the campaign, said Mr Biden’s “false projection” as the winner was based on results in four states where the president is still in the race.
“Georgia is headed for a recount, where we are confident we will find ballots improperly harvested, and where President Trump will ultimately prevail,” Mr Morgan said. (NAN)
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