Does Atiku have a criminal case to answer to in America? US finally reacts

The United States has clarified that former vice president, Atiku Abubakar does not have any criminal case to answer to. This was in reaction to claims made by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna asking the former vice president to dare visit the US as he was allegedly involved in the infamous Halliburton scandal which resulted in the conviction of a US lawmaker, William Jefferson.

Atiku had in an exclusive interview with Premium Times, stated that he was betrayed by El-Rufai  and the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

In response, El-Rufai had denied the allegation labelled against him by Atiku and even went ahead to say the former vice president had skeletons in his cupboard. He said:

“He might also consider a full reckoning for what he and his acolytes did with public funds in the PTDF imbroglio, rather than indulging the usual bold face of the Nigerian big-man.

“Alhaji Atiku is already running for 2019, and he thinks that he can make people like us collateral damage in his attempt to rejuvenate his image.”

While accusing the former vice president of severe corruption which is the reason he (Atiku) has not visited the United States in years, El-Rufai stated: “Can Alhaji Atiku explain the findings in the report of the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations which detailed a pattern of wire transfers of more than USD 40 million from offshore companies like Siemens into bank accounts controlled by him and one of his wives.

“The report detailing the US Senate findings is online, as one of four case histories of foreign corruption in the USA. Alhaji Atiku should tell a better tale of why he is avoiding the United States of America.

“Someone as obsessed with Nigeria’s presidency as he is, should clear up such matters conclusively. We wait to see how well he does with that.”

The Punch however reports that the US department of justice denied that there was a pending criminal case against Atiku.

Peter Carr who is the spokesperson of the department said: “I have checked the public court records, and they do not show cases filed against a defendant named Atiku Abubakar.”