2 key issues on 2019 elections cleared: Atiku secures US visa, PMB reacts to cloning
Two critical issues that will further shape the direction of votes during the fast approaching 2019 presidential election were weekend, cleared by two topflight presidential hopefuls; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB).
Before now, whereas there had been a viral rumour that current president Buhari is cloned from a man called Jubril from Sudan, observers had been with the claims that Atiku cannot enter into the United States of America over issues bordering on graft.
However, clear details have emerged as President Buahri in far away Poland, reacted to the rumour and vide the tweeter handle of his Presidential Adviser on Social Media, Mallam Bashir Ahmad, said “A lot of people hoped that I died during my ill health. It is real me… I will soon celebrate my 76th birthday and I will still go strong. — President @MBuhari this evening in Kraków, Poland. His response to a question of him being cloned.”
Besides, the coast is now clear for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar, to visit to the United States following the issuance of a visa to him last week Friday.
Business Hilights Abuja Bureau chief gathered that Atiku had received the visa to enable him to travel the USA, which he last visited about 13 years ago.
Additional details showed that the presidential hopeful had on Tuesday appeared at the US Embassy in Abuja, where he was interviewed and his fingerprints taken.
Atiku had stopped visiting the USA after the FBI investigated a bribery scandal that involved a former US congressman, William Jefferson.
Though the former Vice President was accused of demanding a kickback of $500,000 to facilitate the award of contracts to two American telecommunication firms in Nigeria, there had not been any kind of court ruling on the matter that goes to infer that he is barred from entering the US.
There was a kind of palpable disquiet at the camp of the ruling party last week when it was becoming clear that Atiku is set to secure a US visa as the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had called on the US not to grant the visa, saying doing so now could be interpreted as endorsement for Atiku’s presidential ambition.
However, in a smart response, the USA replied, saying Atiku’s desire to secure the visa was private.
