[VISA BAN] Atiku to Trump: Don’t punish Nigerians for the failure of Buhari’s regime

Former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar has called on President Donald Trump not to punish Nigerians for the shortcomings and failure of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Reacting to the immigrant visa ban placed by the United States on Nigeria, the former presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) said Nigeria has been a major force for America’s development.

“I received with sadness the policy of the government of the United States of America to place Nigeria on its travel ban list,” Atiku said via a statement on Saturday.

“While I understand the reasons given by the Trump administration (the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration to share information and to address issues of terrorism), the ban does not take into account the pro-American sentiments of the Nigerian public and the solidarity previous Nigerian administrations have had with the United States.

“I urge the government of President Donald Trump to consider the history of US-Nigerian relationships.”

Atiku said “Nigeria was one of the few African nations that joined the US-led coalition during Operation Desert Storm between 1990-1991 when the United States championed the liberation of Kuwait”.

“The Trump administration may also consider the pivotal role Nigeria, in partnership with the US, played in bringing peace to Liberia, an American sphere of influence, that now enjoys democracy because Nigerian blood and money paved the way for peace in that nation.

“Nigeria has also consistently voted in support of the United States and her allies at the UN and other multilateral world bodies. This is even as we are perhaps the biggest trading partner that the United States has in Africa, even where we had alternatives.”