Politics
BREAKING: Atiku Finally Gets US Visa, Jets Out Of Nigeria
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has finally been issued a visa to the United States, TheCable reports.
A family source disclosed this to the online news platform on Saturday and confirmed that the former vice-president has left Nigeria for the UK, where he will spend some time before flying to the US.
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo, ORIENTAL TIMES understands, played a “critical” role in getting the American government to issue the visa to his former deputy with whom he was estranged for almost 15 years.
The trip marks another chapter in the controversy that has rocked the former vice-president for over a decade.
Atiku, who is widely travelled, has not been to the US in 13 years, intially fueling speculations that he might be avoiding possible arrest or prosecution.
His political opponents had used his absence from the US not just to taunt but to discredit him.
His row with the US authorities began after the FBI investigated a bribery scandal involving William Jefferson, former US congressman, in 2004.
Atiku was accused of demanding a bribe of $500,000 to facilitate the award of contracts to two American telecommunication firms in Nigeria.
The FBI had searched his residence in the posh neighbourhood of Potomac, Maryland, but no money was found.
The investigators had videotaped Jefferson, who was the congressman representing Louisiana, receiving $100,000 worth of $100 bills which he claimed was meant for Atiku, but the former vice-president has consistently denied the allegation.
Despite Atiku’s claim to innocence, the controversy raged.
Two months before he declared interest in the 2019 presidential race, Atiku granted an interview to Dele Mommodu, celebrity journalist, where he clarified his absence from the US.
“It is the sole prerogative of America to determine who they want in their country or not,” he said.
“I’m not running away from America. I applied but wasn’t issued a visa.”
He said the US did not categorically deny him visa.
“They’ve only said my application is going through administrative process,” he said.
On Thursday, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, had warned the US to be cautious in granting visa to the main opponent of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
Asked to comment on Atiku’s visa status on Friday, Rusell Brooks, spokesman of the US consulate in Lagos, had said issuance of visa to Nigerians irrespective of their status is strictly a confidential matter.
He said the US government would not discuss such confidentiality in public.
Some All Progressives Congress (APC) members had alleged that Brian Ballard, publicist of US President Donald Trump, was working towards relaxing the visa ban on Atiku.
TheCable
Anonymous
December 2, 2018 at 10:53 am
And then??? Nothing concern us… No election in our mother land
Anonymous
December 2, 2018 at 10:19 am
Hmmmmm, good news.
Anonymous
December 2, 2018 at 7:23 am
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Anonymous
December 2, 2018 at 6:43 am
#BREAKING
Atiku Abubakar has returned to Nigeria after failing to secure assurances from the US Department of Justice that he will not be arrested if he sets his foot into the soil of the United State.
Waziri Adamawa secured a US visa and had travelled to the United Kingdom from where he will fly into the United state where he had not been able to step foot for more tha n 13 years.
“His mission in the United Kingdom is to get the British Government to help him secure the assurances of the United States Department of Justice that he will not be arrested upon setting foot in US soil. But the British government is reported to have informed Abubakar that the US Department of Justice has made it clear that it cannot guarantee he will not be arrested.”
Anonymous
December 2, 2018 at 11:06 am
Ameen Odike but what did he do to USA y was he banned
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 9:41 pm
developed your country useless old fool
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 8:39 pm
Jet out to where?
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 9:33 pm
USA.
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 9:37 pm
Uche Chukwudi Atiku is an arm robber
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 8:38 pm
But the zoo must fall
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 8:16 pm
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Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 8:03 pm
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Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 7:48 pm
It’s well
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 7:33 pm
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 7:02 pm
The good thing is that he invested in the country even consuming he’s own products ( Faro water) unlike many thieves. With all that you are still a thief sir
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 6:58 pm
Lie lie Muhammed how far
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 6:44 pm
The end of apc
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 6:44 pm
it,s a good one, pdp.
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 8:38 pm
IPOB
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 6:34 pm
Still on Atikulated shame APC propaganda government
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 6:31 pm
Good news PDP power to the people
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 6:31 pm
Lol
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 6:20 pm
APC how market ?
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 5:52 pm
Shame on apc and on lie muhammed.
Anonymous
December 1, 2018 at 5:44 pm
A dawo lafiya, Atiku 2019