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Why US may give Atiku visa – Keyamo

Published

6 years ago

December 30, 2018

The Director , Strategic Communications , President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation , Mr . Festus Keyamo ( SAN ) , says the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party , Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, may soon be given a United States visa because he is a candidate for the Presidency .Keyamo said this in a statement on Sunday while reacting to allegations levelled against his principal by Atiku ’ s campaign team .

He said US Congress in a report titled , ‘ Keeping foreign corruption out of the US ’ , featured Atiku as one of the four notorious cases of money laundering in the world !

The senior advocate said , “ Atiku ’ s co -conspirators , Williams Jefferson and Siemens in the bribery deal were convicted and Jefferson went to jail . By running for President of Nigeria , Atiku intends to get some immunity from prosecution .

“ Already he is hoping to obtain a visa to visit the US , as a guest of the State Department , a concession that the US will grant to a Presidential candidate of Africa ’ s biggest nation. ”

He said the congress report noted that Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, a US citizen, who is the fourth wife of Atiku , from 2000 to 2008 , helped her husband bring over $ 40 m in suspect funds into the US including at least $ 1 . 7 m in bribe payments from Siemens AG , a German corporation , and over $ 38 m from little known offshore corporations .

Keyamo said rather than answer to the allegations , Atiku a few days ago , called President Muhammadu Buhari over certain allegations of “ corrupt practices ” which the President allegedly condones in his government .

The senior advocate said the US Department of Justice ’ s claim that Atiku was not under investigation did not exonerate the former Vice – President.

He added , “ How do we as a nation end up with anyone with this sordid record locally and internationally ? We have heard the lame defence that the US Justice Department said it has no pending case against Atiku Abubakar. That is only a defence for the ignorant ones .

“ In the US , there are indictments the Justice Department can confirm to the world . But there is another category of indictments known as sealed indictments that the Justice Department cannot confirm to anyone . These indictments are sealed under the orders of a Judge .

“ Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has a sealed indictment waiting for him in the US . The day he visits the US , not as a candidate in an election , he will face charges . ”