Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has finally been issued a visa to the United States.

A family source disclosed this to TheCable 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.

TheCable also understands that former president Olusegun Obasanjo 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.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/atiku-finally-gets-us-visa-jets-out-of-nigeria.html

Fake news..impossible

It is a GOOOOOOOAL O! ODEGBAMI!!!!
No wonder spambot banned me, so I will not do APC and NL . . . . .

NYOOOOOOOOOR!!!!’

US has ENDORSED ATIKU. . . . To provide witness testimonials that A SUDANI rules Nigeria! In his briefcase are key evidences!

His DNA compared to the real Buhari’s!
No wonder Buhari RAN out of Nigeria.
To Poland ko!

APC die!

oyin44:
Fake news..impossible

I pity you

They dont issue visa on saturday and sunday

oyin44:
They dont issue visa on saturday and sunday

It was issued this week. . . .Atiku just kept it coded. Why do you think PDP was arrogant about it?

Na only APC fit keep secrets?

Ndo o?
Pele o?

Just saw the news

After reading the ZOO journalist report, it should even be more clear that Atiku is not just bad news, but more of the same.

Looks like the military, even in this so-called democracy is still fully in control, as “Obasanjo” is now the US Secretary of State in AFrica apparently....


JOKERS

Zombies will have nightmares today.

If true, then OBJ already has Atiku by the ballz because the 'favour' is a HUGE one. Though I still don't see Atiku winning anyway.

Everywhere dey hot ooo

You guys just want to give some people heart attack for nothing

If this is true, Buharideen's and Buharist will be like, he should visit the 50 states in the US to prove he does not have any case to answer.

What do APC want to use again?


Atiku is our next president!


We have decided!

This should be no issue but it's the APC that foolishly turned it an issue.

Op, what position are you in the hierarchy of those licking Atiku's poo hole?
Stop spreading fake news

Congratulations Mr Atiku

Obido go. Politicians will be like "Nigeria, shall we begin"

docadams:
Op, what position are you in the hierarchy of those licking Atiku's poo hole?
Stop spreading fake news

Not fake news. check the Cable online news.

APC is a monumental failure
just imagine, the only thing they have for Nigerians is that Atiku cannot go to America as if going to America is an achievement

Do you know that some zombies are viewing this thread without dropping their useless comment?

Tag a nairaland zombie let them see this thread. Thanks!

FAKE NEWS [quote author=oyin44 post=73467008][/quote]

FAKE NEWS

Visa or no Visa, Buhari will still defeat Atiku anyday anytime.

Monimatic:
Smsks

Mr Ipod, stop disturbing urself. Atiku will only be president in ur potopoto region. FYI, we are not bothered about Atiku US visa.