Atiku Travels To UK, Sets To Get US Visa… US tells politicians to focus on issues

The United States Consulate in Lagos has said matters relating to the application for or issuance of visa to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, or any other individual was a confidential matter.

This came barely 24 hours after the APC-led Federal Government called on the US government to be cautious about giving a US visa to Atiku.

The Public Affairs Officer of the US Consulate in Lagos, Brussel Brooks, stressed that the issue of US visa for anyone, irrespective of their social standing in the society, was strictly a confidential matter.

Brooks spoke while fielding questions from journalists seeking to know his view on the raging controversy surrounding Atiku’s application for US visa after attending a programme in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday.

He, however, called on candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns instead of dwelling on things that were not important to the well-being of Nigerians.

He said, “The position of the US Mission has remained the same throughout any discussion on this issue that visas are a confidential matter.

“We don’t discuss visa status of any person, whether it be a highly rated official, a presidential candidate or an average citizen.

“Anyone who applies for a visa should know that there will be some records that are confidential. It is classified as a private document by the United States Government, and we never discuss them in public.”

He stressed that “I will also encourage parents and voters to ask the candidates what they plan to do to improve education. I think issue-based campaigns will be beneficial to all Nigerians.”

Senate President and Director General of the PDP National Campaign Council, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has also said the opposition of the Federal Government to granting of a US visa to Atiku was a panic and desperate action.