Atiku’s Visit To The U.s., An End To Lies And Propaganda

Nothing pains a man more than being rubbed with a balm of mess that is eternally designed and perfected to tarnish his reputation in the public. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has been a victim of many years of spreading falsehood and lies concocted by some power brokers in the country at a time in a bid to discredit and rubbish his personality as one untrustworthy, corrupt and bad leader that should never be given any opportunity to serve Nigeria again. He has indeed been ridiculed in the last thirteen years as a result of the many frivolous allegations and trump up charges thrown against him. From the North to down South Nigeria, there is clearly a conspiracy and gang up against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar .

The antagonists of Alhaji Atiku havelargely succeeded in misleading Nigerians about the fact that he has a corruption case to answer in the United States of America. His erstwhile boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo ‘s note on page 32 of his book titled: “My Watch”(Volume 2) equally added much more salt to his injury bordering on perceived corruption. It is on these aforementioned grounds that many Nigerians were and are still being made to believe that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar cannot travel to the US for the fear of possible arrest by the US authorities. In fact, this popular perception had dealt a great blow on his presidential ambition in theprevious attempts.

However, as the 2019 general elections draw nearer, Atiku’s visit to the United States of America has featured more prominently on the campaign trains of his major political opponents in the race to February 2019 presidential elections. At a time, the All Progressives Congress (APC) couldn’t tell Nigerians whytheir candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari should be re elected in 2019. All their attention was focused largely on questioning the integrity of Alhaji Atiku as if they have no achievements to point to since President Buhari assumed office in May 2015. As matter of fact, APC has built a mountain out of amolehill on this issue of Atiku’s visit to the US as if Atiku is contesting for the office of the President of the United States of America. They even dared Alhaji Atiku to step his feet on the America soil to prove his incorruptibility.

This is why Alhaji Atiku must visit the United States of America since it appears to be the only baggage he is carrying in this electioneering season. Even though APC is the party challenging Atiku to visit the US, it must be stated that the same party is equally crying to the government of US not to grant or issue any VISA to Alhaji Atiku. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed opined that giving Alhaji Atiku Abubakar VISA might suggest an endorsement of one candidate over the other. He urged the US to remain neutral during and after the 2019 general elections. I personally see this move as grandstanding and meddlesomeness.

But a determined and focused Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has chosen to remain resolute and undeterred in the midst of all the propaganda as they unfold daily. It is therefore a great sigh of relief to note that thirteen years jinx was broken yesterday by Alhaji Atiku as he stepped his feet on the great America soil. Not too many people saw it coming! It was indeed a great surprise, a great defining moment and real game changer for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. I want to use this medium to expressly congratulate him and his team. The time is now to make Nigeria great and work again.

I congratulate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for two reasons. First, this visit has put an end to the daily insinuations, innuendoes, fabrications, canards being made out of his inability to travel to the US by some politicians and political parties in the country. Anyone that says again that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is corrupt without any concrete evidence should be ready to submit himself for psychiatric examinations. Like President Buhari had long put behind him his fierce battle with his WAEC Certificate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar should be happier now that he has passed the acid test of APC.

Secondly, I congratulate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Nigerians in general because Nigerians can now use the remaining weeks in the electioneering window to focus on the real issues affecting our dear country, Nigeria. It is my fervent hope that the next weeks will touch on issues that are affecting our development, growth, unity and progress as a nation. No more propaganda!

Shamsudeen Ayeni, a socio political analyst writes from AKute, Ogun State. He can be reached via [email protected].