Connect with us

Politics

You’re a liar, Buhari was never barred from the US, Presidency replies Atiku

Published

on

PROPOSAL FOR OIL & GAS SECTOR: Pro-Buhari group says Atiku callous, anti-people

The Presidency has declared former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as a liar over his claim that President Muhammadu Buhari was once barred from entering the United States of America over his religious views.

The former vice president was quoted to have said this while reacting to questions on why he was denied visa by US. Dele Momodu had thrown the question at him during an interview as part of his weekly column titled, ‘Pendulum’, published in The Boss Magazine.

“It is the sole prerogative of America to determine who they want in their country or not. I’m not running away from America. I applied but wasn’t issued a visa. However, they did not decline me categorically.

“They’ve only said my application is going through an administrative process. This is not peculiar to me. For about 15 years, Buhari could not enter America on account of religious considerations.

“The current Indian Prime Minister, Modi, suffered the same fate for years. Today, he is being accorded a red carpet treatment in America. I fly to different parts of the world, including Europe. If America wanted me, it would be so easy for them to reach out to their allies…”

In its response to the alleged claim by Atiku, the Presidency said, “This fictive concoction being passed off as truth is mind boggling, coming from a former number two man of Nigeria, who should know the truth. At no time was President Buhari, as a private person, ever forbidden from entering any country in the world. Rather, the rest of the world has always held Muhammadu Buhari as a man of sterling qualities, strong on integrity, transparency and accountability. The same testimony is still borne of the Nigerian President by many world leaders today.

“It is curious that former VP Abubakar had been asked why he had not visited America for over a decade, something that had been a stubborn fact dogging his footsteps. Instead of answering directly, he begged the question, saying Buhari also had been disallowed from entering the same country for 15 years, before becoming President.

READ ALSO: JONATHAN TO GOV SHETTIMA: If I ran bad govt why is UN begging Buhari to maintain standard I set

“We hereby make it resoundingly clear that what the former Vice President said only exists in the realm of his imagination. If he has issues to settle with American authorities, he should do so, rather than clutch at a straw.”

The reaction of the Presidency was contained in a statement the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, released Saturday night.

 

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now