Alhaji Atiku Abubakar |
The United States Consulate in Lagos on Friday declared that the issue
of US visa for anyone, irrespective of social standing in the society,
is strictly a confidential matter, which the US Government will not
discuss in public.
Public Affairs Officer (PAO), US Consulate, Lagos, Mr. Brussel Brooks
made this known against the backdrop of the controversies surrounding
the US visa status of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Brooks spoke during an education forum organised for 150 teachers and students drawn from various public schools in Oyo State.
Abubakar is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the next year’s elections.
The programme, entitled, “Teaching Resources: Availability,
Applicability and Appropriateness” which took place at the Distance
Learning Centre, University of Ibadan, was organised by Fulbright
Language Scholars’ Association under the leadership of Miss Tolu
Akinwole.
According to Brooks, the case of Atiku’s US visa status has been an
issue in the papers for sometime, but “the position of the US Mission
has remained the same throughout any discussion of this issue, that
visas are a confidential matter.”
He said, “We don’t discuss individual visa’s status of any person,
whether it be a highly rated official, a presidential candidate or an
average citizen.
“Anyone who applies for a visa should know that there will be some
records that are confidential. It is classified as private document by
the United States Government, and we never discuss them now public.”
Brooks who enjoined candidates at all levels to focus on issue-based
campaigns and avoid distractions, also also advised Nigerians to ask
candidates the plan they have to improve education.
He said, “Often times unfortunately, campaigns are full of
distractions, things that are not that important to the lives and
welfare of average Nigerians, especially the children that are with us
today. What is important for them is to give them the opportunities to
serve in order to thrive in today’s world.
“This means they need a good education. The school should be
improved. When I heard the letter from the students describing their
lack of books and dearth of desks in their school. This is very
disheartening. There are things that should be corrected.
“I will also encourage parents and voters to ask the candidates what
they plan to do to improve education. I think issue-based campaigns will
be beneficial to all Nigerians”.
Akinwole while speaking said the association, being funded by the
United States Consulate, has trained a total of 350 teachers in Oyo and
Ondo States in 2018.
She said that this was done with a view to igniting vibrant teachers
and provide solutions to observed “inability of students to apply
lessons they learn in classrooms to everyday life”.
- Daily Post
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