Political News
Atiku Still Banned From USA… How US Lobbyists Mounted Pressure On Congress To Get Him Temporary Suspension
Atiku Still Banned From USA… How US Lobbyists Mounted Pressure On Member Of Congress To Get Him Temporary Suspension
Exclusive report by The Nation
A TEMPORARY suspension of a travel ban linked to decade-old bribery scandals paved the way for former vice president and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to make his Washington DC trip last month, a report in Reuters said yesterday.
The report quoted diplomats and those with the trip.
It (report) said several U.S. diplomats and others familiar with the visit told the news service that Atiku, has been banned from entering the United States (U.S.) after he allegedly featured in two prominent corruption-related investigations.
Atiku’s visit to Washington was put together with the help of two U.S. lobbying firms. Holland & Knight. The firms were hired by Atiku personally in December to help him secure a visa, in part by enlisting members of Congress to request one on his behalf, according to a lobbyist for the firm. It has been paid $80,000 so far, the report said.
Ballard Partners was hired by the PDP at a rate of $90,000 per month in September, before Atiku emerged as the party’s candidate, according to U.S. disclosure filings.
Several U.S. government officials said the travel ban was waived temporarily by the U.S. State Department after lobbyists mounted a campaign among congressional lawmakers arguing that the administration should not snub the leading challenger to President Muhammadu Buhari in the Feb. 16 election.
Mon
February 5, 2019 at 3:16 AM
The game is simple, what we are witnessing as campaign or election going to happen soon is actually a discussion between the old colonial masters and new ones on board.
They, all knew that Nigeria is a fraud and majority of contestant are fraudsters, and we are also operating on fraudulent constitution imposed by the military. The Western World or whites, in general, do not care if all of you shouting Atiku or Buhari will die tomorrow as long as their own economic interests are protected. As I said, USA will still prefer Atiku because they can easily control him (They hold him in his testicles already)
If Nigerians are reasonable enough to understand the benefit of boycotting this coming election, they will never give it a second thought, just for them to know how powerful the masses are.
Regardless of who will take over, the masses are going to witness more hardship, as this administration is making the previous one look like a saint, the next will make this present one look like a missed opportunity.
Ojasope
February 5, 2019 at 3:24 AM
Atiku if you like pay them 40 million. You or Buhari wil l never see aso rock alive
Fifelomo
February 5, 2019 at 5:17 AM
In another few days, we differentiate the boy from the man.
Jilo
February 5, 2019 at 11:26 PM
Atiku has nothing to offer Nigerians. Be wise folks, do not feed this man again with your future inheritance. There is no spot in the presidency for a man who declared on National TV that he will only enrich himself and his friends.