When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presents its platform for the 2019 general elections and share insights on the future of US-Nigeria relations, next Tuesday, January 15, in Washington DC, the party’s flagbearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, will not be present.
Rather, his running mate; former Chairman of Fidelity Bank Plc and erstwhile Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, will take center-stage at the Center For Strategic & International Studies, (CSIS) to discuss the PDP’s economic and security objectives, as well as his views on the future of US-Nigeria relations. The PDP has given no official reason why Atiku is dodging the biggest stage where he could make his case to America and the world that he is the best man to lead Africa’s most populous nation.
But the unexplained absence seems to vindicate claims by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) that the former vice-president is a fugitive, escaping from the law in America. Senior lawyer, Festus Keyamo, (SAN), a spokesman and the Director of Strategic Communications for the APC 2019 general election campaign, has repeatedly averred that Atiku has a corruption and money-laundering case to answer in the United States.
Without providing any further details, Keyamo recently claimed that Atiku has a sealed indictment waiting for him in the US. “The day he visits the US, not as a candidate in an election, he will face charges.” A spokesman for the US Department of Justice told Huhuonline.com that it was not the Department’s policy to comment on sealed indictments and ongoing investigations.
Atiku’s unexplained absence only further confirms these suspicions.
Founded in 1962 in Washington DC, CSIS is one of the world’s preeminent international policy institutions focused on defense and security; transnational challenges, energy, trade and global development issues. CSIS is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to providing strategic insights and policy solutions to help decision-makers chart a course toward a better world.
