Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) arrived the US on Thursday.
This is the first time he will be in the US since 2007 when he left office as Nigeria’s Vice President under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
He had been unable to obtain a visa to the U.S. ever since over an alleged corruption indictment and Obasanjo who had previously mounted campaign against him is believed to have softened the ground with the US State Department to issue the visa.
This was after Obasanjo fell out with President Muhammadu Buhari and announced the he had forgiven Atiku of all his infractions.
He was accompanied on the trip by Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and a host of other PDP topshots.
Announcing Atiku’s arrival in the US, his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe in a press statement dated 17th January stated that “ Former Vice President of Nigeria and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar has arrived Washington DC on a visit to the United States.
“The PDP presidential candidate arrived at 20.20 hours (14.20 hours Washington DC time).
“Yesterday, Atiku Abubakar met with the business community in Lagos at an interactive session to unveil his plans to get Nigeria working again.
“Thursday morning, he left Abuja accompanied by the DG of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation and Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki for the United States.
“Atiku Abubakar will in the course of his trip hold meeting with US government officials, the business community and the Nigerian community.
“He returns to the country on Saturday.”
The visit is a major plus for the Atiku presidential campaign as he had been severally mocked by opponents that he would be arrested if he ever traveled there.
