Ex VP, Atiku Abubakar
Just
after he spoke out on how President Muhammadu Buhari was banned from entering the United States, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has
revealed why he hasn't visited the country.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has explained why he could not enter the United States, Premium Times reports.
There have been concerns that Mr. Abubakar was avoiding a trip to
America because he fears a warrant was out for his arrest there.
But Mr. Abubakar, who is expected to run for president in 2019,
said in an interview published by The Boss newspaper that he had
actually made attempt to visit the U.S. but was denied on administrative
grounds.
“I applied, but wasn’t issued a visa. However, they did not
decline me categorically either. They’ve only said my application is
going through administrative process,” Mr. Abubakar told the paper published by Dele Momodu.
“It is the sole prerogative of America to determine who they want in their country or not. I’m not running away from America,” Mr. Abubakar added.
The former vice-president said such administrative denials were not
unique to him, saying President Muhammadu Buhari could not also enter
the country for 15 years due to his religious views.
The U.S. Embassy in Abuja did not immediately respond to and email seeking comments Saturday afternoon.
Speculation about Mr. Abubakar’s run in with U.S. authorities
stemmed from a broadband contract award to iGate, an America company
which Williams Jefferson, then U.S. federal lawamker from Louisiana, had
interest in.
Mr. Jefferson was said to have used his political influence and
friendship with Mr. Abubakar to ensure that the contract went smoothly
in Nigeria with intentions to pay some kickbacks to Nigerian officials,
including the former vice president.
Mr. Jefferson revealed in a secretly recorded conversation with the
FBI that Mr. Abubakar stood to benefit up to $500,000 for helping
influence the broadband deal in Nigeria at the time.
Although Mr. Jefferson lost his representative seat and served jail
term in America for the deal, Mr. Abubakar was never prosecuted in
Nigeria. It is also not clear if Mr. Abubakar was indicted in the U.S
over the case.
“On the issue of corruption, I have challenged anyone,
anywhere, who has any evidence of corruption against me to come forward.
I’m sure they would have combed everywhere trying to find anything
incriminating against me, but they have not found it, or they are still
searching,” Mr. Abubakar said.
Mr. Atiku, vice-president from 1999-2007, has largely been a
businessman since retiring from Nigeria Customs Service decades ago.
He dismissed his critics and contenders as lacking basic
entrepreneurial knowledge, hence the reason they despise him for his own
business acumen.
“Let any of those who want to compete with me show what they have managed successfully,” Mr. Atiku said.
Mr. Abubakar’s likely 2019 ambition has become increasingly noticeable in his activities in recent months.
Over the past year, he had initiated a slew of political moves to cast himself in a brighter light.
Prominent amongst these is his relentless call for a fundamental
restructuring of Nigeria, arguing that the current system is unworkable
—a position that Nigerians are buying into in an ever increasing number.
Mr. Abubakar has been described as a serial contender for the
presidency, having run in 2007 and 2015 elections, although the 2015 bid
ended at primary stage when he lost to Mr. Buhari.
He dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress last week Friday,
citing alleged failure by the Buhari administration to improve the
quality of life in the country and neglect of the youth in federal
cabinet appointment.
His political allies have indicated that Mr. Abubakar was on his
way to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, which has opened its
doors to him.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, openly threw her
support behind Mr. Abubakar’s presidential bid in September despite the
uncertainty that clouds Mr. Buhari’s re-election plans.
Mr. Abubakar also accused the president of sidelining him after
contributing immensely to ensure his victory against then-incumbent
Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
The presidency has not reacted to Mr. Abubakar’s criticism.
But Mr. Abubakar’s recent actions have earned him renewed
criticism, with many of his adversaries exhuming his past controversies,
which include the iGate scandal.
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