Bill Clinton cancels trip to meet Atiku, Buhari, gives reasons

Former US President, Bill Clinton, has cancelled his trip to Nigeria, ahead of Saturday’s general elections, saying the visit could be “politicized”.

Clinton was scheduled to visit Abuja this week, alongside Baroness Patricia Scotland, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

The planned trip was facilitated by the Kofi Annan Foundation and the National Peace Committee (NPC).

“Over the course of the last several days, and after various conversations with the different stakeholders, it’s become apparent that President Clinton’s visit to Nigeria has the potential to be politicized in a way that is not in line with the goals of the Committee. Therefore, he will not be travelling to Abuja,” Clinton’s spokesman, Angel Ureña, said in a statement.

Clinton had been set to deliver a keynote speech at a ceremony for the signing of a peace accord by presidential candidates.

He will, however, speak with President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is standing for re-election, and his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the statement added.