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A conversation centred around the much talked about U.S. visa of Mr Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election on Monday sparked laughter at Chatham House, London.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs invited Tinubu to speak on “Nigeria’s 2023 elections: Security, economic and foreign policy imperatives”.
In his introductory remarks, Alex Vines, Director of Africa Programme at Chatham House sparked laughter when he joked about the U.S. visa of the APC presidential candidate.
“I understand that you have very much a valid U.S. visa and would be going to the United States after this,” Vines said to rousing applause and laughter by participants at the event.
Tinubu's US visa sparks laughter at Chatham House pic.twitter.com/cKwoPVGOBV
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— Oyibo of Abuja (@oyiboediri) December 5, 2022
Recall that Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo recently debunked claims that the United States denied Tinubu a visa.
Keyamo who is also the spokesman of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign council said the rumour was the handiwork of mischief makers.
For mischief-makers who peddle unfounded rumours about @officialABAT being denied visa to the US, you leave us with no option but to show you his current visa (that has always been renewed since time immemorial). This is for the misguided ones who believe these rumours pic.twitter.com/JsgB7zqdnv
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) December 3, 2022
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2023: Peter Obi, INEC Chairman, others to speak at Chatham House
Meanwhile, Vines disclosed that the candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu have been scheduled to speak at Chatham House.
He also disclosed that Chatham House will also host the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and also the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso in series of meetings leading up to Nigeria’s 2023 general election.
“On the 17th of January 2023, Chatham House will host an event with INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu. We have invitations out to three other presidential candidates for this election in Nigeria.
“So, Atiku Abubakar, the candidate for the People’s Democratic Party, we have issued an invitation to him. As you know, some of you, he spoke here in 2018 about Nigeria’s economy. He is no stranger to Chatham House.
“An invitation has also been issued to Peter Obi, the leader for the Labour Party. He is also considering that invitation. And finally, we have also invited Rabiu Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria People’s Party candidate.
“So, we do want to be equitable and impartial here at this institute and as you can understand and see, not only are we interested in the electoral processes and systems and checks and balances in Nigeria, we also want to hear from potential Nigerian leadership,” Vines disclosed.