Atiku set to visit Washington in December

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is set to make a historial entry to the United States on December 14-17, 2018 after being denied Visa for over 10 years.

Mr Abubakar Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate for the 2019 election is set to address a meeting of leaders in Washington and New-York.

The 72-year-old veteran politician on several occasions was denied visa to enter the United States on moral grounds, stemming from allegations that he tacitly supported graft in the United States involving a former Congressman.

According to Gbenga Daniel, a former Governor of Ogun state and Director General of the Atiku campaign organisation, the American Embassy has been calling on the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to come forward so he could be issued a visa.

The Presidential candidate will hold discussions with think-tank, academic, and non-governmental experts on Nigeria, a meeting with officials at the U.S. Department of State, and an off-the record meeting with some US agencies.

Atiku and his party’s delegation will have an opportunity to share their perspectives on upcoming elections and lay out their strategies for enforcing good conduct among candidates, promoting issue-based rather than personality-driven campaigning, ensuring a tone of moderation in the debates, and encouraging respect for the election outcome.

The United States State Department has ended a 10-year diplomatic boycott imposed on the politician, said a top official in Washington.