A former Nigeria’s vice-president and presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has been granted an American visa to visit the country after thirteen years he last visited.
Atiku reportedly appeared on Tuesday at the US Embassy in Abuja, where he was interviewed and his fingerprints taken.
Sources close to him told Punch that Atiku was delighted with the issuance of the visa.
Atiku had stopped visiting the USA after the FBI investigated a bribery scandal that involved a former US congressman, William Jefferson.
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.
During the investigation, the FBI had searched Atiku’s residence in Maryland, but it was gathered that no cash was found.
Despite Atiku’s claim to innocence, the controversy had continued unabated with his opponents daring him to visit the country and see if he would not be arrested.
Atiku’s former boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was said to have played “significant role” in the issuance of the visa.
