2023: Atiku in U.S., lobbies govt officials over presidential bid

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has departed Nigeria for the United States to lobby senior government officials and Congress men and women to back his presidential bid ahead of the 2023 general election.

It was gathered that Atiku left Nigeria on Tuesday night to hold a meeting with Senior State Department officials in the United States.

It was learnt that Atiku’s loyalists in the U.S. secured top level meetings for him with members of Congress and other government officials.

A credible source disclosed that the former Vice President was doing everything possible to be Nigeria’s next President having realised the 2023 election is his last chance.

“Atiku is convinced he will never achieve his ambition of becoming the President of Nigeria without the support of external collaborators in United States and Britain especially.

“His lobbyists secured important meetings for him with State Department officials and Congress members.

“He is impressing it on the Americans that he is the best person they can do business with and one that can guarantee their interests in Nigeria and West Africa. He had meetings today (Wednesday) with the State Department officials and will continue his meetings till Friday before he return to Nigeria,” the source reportedly told Western Post.

Until 2019 when he was able to enter U.S. under a brokered deal, Atiku was barred from entering the country since he left office in 2007 as Vice President.

The United States Government indicted him over allegations of corruption and money laundering in the sum of $40 million involving him, a former U.S. Senator, Williams Jefferson, and his fourth wife, Jennifer Douglas, who is a U.S. citizen.

The Star