Members of the Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria protested at the entrance of the American embassy on Wednesday demanding that the US should not meddle in the internal politics of the country.

The group urged the American government to deny former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, visa to its country.

Atiku, who is also the 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), according to the group, was allegedly involved in a bribery scandal for which Senator William Jefferson was tried and jailed for 13 years in 2009.

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The placard-carrying protesters were stationed outside the embassy, while some of the inscriptions on their placards read: “U.S.A stay clear of Nigeria’s internal politics, No to issuance of politically motivated visa to Atiku.”

The National Convener of the group, Comrade Wole Badmus, who led the protest, said that “granting his (Atiku’s) visa request will amount to a negation of the Patriot Act which makes the acceptance of foreign corruption proceeds a US money laundering offence.

“It also makes a mockery of the United Nations Convention against Corruption enacted in 2003 in which the USA played an active role in its enactment and presently ratified by over 40 countries. It is also against the spirit of the investigative group dedicated to combating foreign corruption by Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) formed in 2003 by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“Finally granting such request makes a mess of a president Bush Presidential Proclamation 7750 denying Us visa to foreign officials involved with corruption, and other supporting legislation by the Congress.”

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