Atiku’s claim on Buhari fictitious – Presidency

The Presidency on Saturday described as “fictitious concoction” a claim credited to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that President Muhammadu Buhari was banned from entering United States over religious considerations.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said in a statement on Saturday it was mind-boggling that a person of Atiku’s calibre who should know the truth was spreading lies about the President.

He said the claim made by the former vice president only existed in the realm of his imagination, as President Buhari was never stopped from entering America.

The statement reads: “Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, claims in an interview published Saturday that ‘for about 15 years, Buhari could not enter America on account of religious considerations.’

“This fictive concoction being passed off as truth is mind-boggling, coming from a former Number Two Man of Nigeria, who should know the truth.

“At no time was President Buhari, as a private person, ever forbidden from entering any country in the world.

“Rather, the rest of the world has always held Muhammadu Buhari as a man of sterling qualities, strong on integrity, transparency and accountability.

“The same testimony is still borne of the Nigerian President by many world leaders today.

“It is curious that former VP Abubakar had been asked why he had not visited America for over a decade, something that had been a stubborn fact dogging his footsteps. Instead of answering directly, he begged the question, saying Buhari also had been disallowed from entering the same country for 15 years before becoming President.

“We hereby make it resoundingly clear that what the former vice president said only exists in the realm of his imagination.

“If he has issues to settle with American authorities, he should do so, rather than clutch at a straw.”