 |
| Atiku Abubakar. |
Former Vice president, Atiku Abubakar
has called on the government of the United States of America not to punish Nigerians
for the inefficiency of the current administration in Nigeria.
Atiku, who was reacting to the policy of the government
of the United States of America to place Nigeria on its travel ban list,
because of the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to share
information and to address issues of terrorism, urged the President Donald
Trump administration to take into account the pro-American sentiments of the
Nigerian public and the solidarity previous Nigerian administrations have had
with the United States.
He stated: “The current Nigerian administration may have its
deficiencies and deep faults, but the Nigeria people ought not to be punished
for their inefficiencies.
“ Once again, I call on President Trump to consider adopting
measures that individually target those in government who have failed in their
duties, rather than target the entire Nigerian population.”
Below is full text of the statement by Atiku
US Travel Ban on Nigeria: Punish Those Responsible, Not the
Nigerian People
I received with sadness the policy of the government of the
United States of America to place Nigeria on its travel ban list.
While I understand the reasons given by the Trump administration
(the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration to share information
and to address issues of terrorism), the ban does not take into account the
pro-American sentiments of the Nigerian public and the solidarity previous
Nigerian administrations have had with the United States.
I urge the government of President Donald Trump to consider the
history of US-Nigerian relationships. Nigeria was one of the few African
nations that joined the US led coalition during Operation Desert Storm in
1990-1991, when the United States championed the liberation of Kuwait.
The Trump administration may also consider the pivotal role
Nigeria, in partnership with the US, played in bringing peace to Liberia, an
American sphere of influence, that now enjoys democracy because Nigerian blood
and money paved the way for peace in that nation.
Nigeria has also consistently voted in support of the United
States and her allies at the United Nations and other multi-lateral world
bodies. This is even as we are perhaps the biggest trading partner that the
United States has in Africa, even where we had alternatives.
Nigerians love the United States and have been a major force for
the positive development of that great nation: 77 per cent of all Black doctors
in the United States are Nigerians. Nigerians are also the most educated
immigrant community in America BAR NONE. Surely, the US stands to benefit if it
allows open borders with a country like Nigeria that is able to provide
skilled, hardworking and dedicated personnel in a two-way traffic.
The current Nigerian administration may have its deficiencies
and deep faults, but the Nigeria people ought not to be punished for their
inefficiencies.
Once again, I call on President Trump to consider adopting
measures that individually target those in government who have failed in their
duties, rather than target the entire Nigerian population.
Waziri Atiku Abubakar,
Vice President of Nigeria, 1990-2007
No comments:
Post a Comment