Atiku Abubakar :

Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Contrary to popular belief, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said that he is not afraid of visiting the United States of America.

The former Vice President told Mr Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation Magazine in an exclusive interview published in The Boss newspaper on Saturday that rather he has been denied visa to visit the United States.

“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 either.

“They’ve only said my application is going through 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 treated to 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…”

Many Nigerian believed that the former Vice President has been running away from the United States over the indictment of his political associate, Williams Jefferson for corruption 2009. Indeed, former President Olusegun Obasanjo had repeatedly accused Atiku of corruption.

But the former Vice President vehemently denied the allegation in the interview.

“I have the highest regards for my boss. He gave me eight years to serve Nigeria under him. We had our differences but we both tried our best.

“But on the issue of corruption, I have challenged anyone, anywhere, who has any evidence of corruption against me to come forward. I’m sure they would have combed everywhere trying to find anything incriminating against me, but they have not found it, or they are still searching. Dele, I’m throwing that challenge again, let them bring out whatever they have on me…”

Atiku who decamped from ruling All Progressives Congress, APC about two weeks ago is yet to declare for any party.

But the former Vice President  said he is confident of beating  Buhari if he gets Peoples Democratic Party, PDP president ticket for the 2019 general elections.

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