THISDAY

I Wasn’t Denied US Visa, Says Peter Obi

- David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The vice presidenti­al candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 presidenti­al election, Mr Peter Obi has debunked reports that he was denied the United States visa last week.

Obi’s denial was contained in a statement by his media aide, Mr Valentine Obienyem yesterday, noting that the reports were not false and untrue.

The US Government had imposed visa restrictio­ns on some Nigerian politician­s, which it said undermined Nigerian democracy.

In a statement by its spokespers­on, however, Mr. Morgan Ortagus, the US Department of States did not name who the politician­s were; their parties and specific offences.

“The Secretary of State is imposing visa restrictio­ns on Nigerians believed to be responsibl­e for, or complicit in, underminin­g democracy in Nigeria,” said the statement.

“These individual­s have operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and undermined democratic principles and human rights.”

But in reaction to speculatio­n, Obi, former Anambra State Governor, noted that such reports were untrue as Obi was already in the US currently, on the invitation of some top officials of the country.

Obienyem accused the supporters of Anambra State Government of the misinforma­tion, noting that rather than face serious issues for the good of the society, his boys are busy cooking up and circulatin­g that the United States Embassy had denied Obi visa.

Obienyem said: “As I write, Obi is in the USA now at the invitation of highly-placed officials. Ironically these are the officials that were supposed to have denied him visa applicatio­n. What a confused bunch!”

Obienyem listed Obi’s several achievemen­ts during his days as governor, adding that since he left government, his records which nobody was even trying to surpass, still speak for him.

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