Keyamo mocks Atiku: He looked frightened throughout desperate US trip

Festus Keyamo, spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress
(APC) presidential campaign council, has mocked the recent trip by
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), to the US.

Atiku recently travelled to the US for the first time in 13
years.

Commenting on the trip, Keyamo described it as a “clandestine
visit” with the “trappings of a fugitive sneaking into America
under a special waiver diplomatic waiver”.

The APC campaign spokesperson said it was an “anomaly” for the
PDP presidential hopeful to embark on such a visit without
international press coverage.

“Rather than being the highpoint of his campaign, the American
visit is indeed the lowest watermark of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign.
It was a political and P.R disaster,” Keyamo said in a
statement.

“The statements he released from there only to the Nigerian
Press back home that he intends to alienate other countries and do
business with the U.S is actually the antithesis to our policy of
non-alignment.

“Therefore, we were not surprised by his visit to the U.S. For
us, this visit is really a non-event considering the issues
involved in the forthcoming election.

“However, we have bad news for those who think this is a
momentous event for Atiku Abubakar: the visit was nothing but a
downright catastrophe because rather than dispel the fact of
indictments hanging over his head, it further confirms and
reinforces those facts.

“Whoever advised Atiku Abubakar to undertake that trip to
America just destroyed his entire campaign and exposed him for who
he is – a questionable character who has continued to leave huge
questions over his suitability for the highest office of the land
and as such cannot be trusted by the Nigerian people.

“In all, it is very obvious now that the so-called American trip
was a desperate trip for photo-ops.

“Throughout the trip, Atiku Abubakar looked cagey, frightened
and on edge. We note the close support always provided by Senate
President Bukola Saraki like a comforting guardian angel.

“The visit and arrangements smack of things local yahoo yahoo
boys do to scam their victims. It is utterly disgusting and puerile
that it has been brought into a serious political contest.”

Keyamo also faulted Atiku’s campaign slogan—“get Nigeria working
again”—claiming that the former vice president plans to use public
funds to enrich his friends if elected as president.

“As confirmed by him in a town-hall meeting a few days before
his disastrous trip to the U.S, he said he wants to “get Nigeria
working again” only for few of his friends who he claims he wants
to make rich,” the statement read.

“If he cannot get them rich now from his private businesses, it
is obvious that he is referring to the use of public funds to make
his friends rich.

“Nigerians should judge for themselves whether this is the type
of President they want.”