12 Years After, Atiku Lands In Us

By Lukman Amusa

Former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday arrived in Washington DC, United States of America, on a two-day visit. This is coming 12 years after his last visit to the country. The PDP presidential candidate arrived in the North American country at 20.20 hours (14.20 hours Washington DC time). Atiku had on Wednesday met with the business community in Lagos at an interactive session to unveil his plans to ‘get Nigeria working again’. A statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, last night said he thereafter left Abuja yesterday accompanied by the director-general of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation and President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki for the  United States. Others in the entourage include a former minister of aviation, Osita Chidoka, Senator Ben Bruce, party strategists and personal aides of both Atiku and Saraki. “Atiku Abubakar will in the course of his trip hold meeting with US government officials, the business community and the Nigerian community,” he added.  The premier reports that Atiku will return to Nigeria tomorrow to participate in a television debate for some presidential candidates in Abuja organised by Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG). Earlier in the day, sources told our reporter that Atiku would be speaking at a forum by the American Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C. and will attend other meetings aimed at boosting his electoral chance. Our reporter also obtained the bromide of an official tag meant for Atiku for the Chamber of Commerce function. The PDP presidential candidate’s eventual visit to the US may unsettle the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), which had earlier challenged him to visit America where it is speculated that he has corruption charges to answer.

Before now, Atiku had not visited the US since 2007 when he left office as Nigeria’s vice president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.