I have not been barred from the US –Aondoakaa

In a press release yesterday, Aondoakaa stressed, “I have not been banned from entering the United States and I have my visa intact.

“Secondly, none of my relatives has a student visa to the United States as claimed by some publications. Therefore, the US Government cannot revoke what they did not issue.”

The former minister’s response which was given to Sunday Trust by his Special Assistant, Mr Onov Tyuluugh maintained that the publication was a misconception of how the US State Department works.

Aondoakaa said revocation of visa of any foreigner cannot be a matter for the president of the US who is considered to be the leader of the world, adding that it is a matter of State Department which ends on the table of the Secretary of State.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said when the publication published online on Wednesday and his attention was drawn to it, he contacted the US Embassy in Abuja and he was told that there was no such instruction from Washington.

He noted, “My being a member of the Governing Council of a UN body was through an election and the US Government voted for my candidature. And there was an agreement sent by Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry to all countries, including the US before I was elected.

“The US Government supported and voted for me during the election in 2009 in Rome. Apart from the US, France, Britain, Germany, all the super powers voted for me. The records are there for anybody to access. So, it is a blatant and reckless story calculated to embarrass me. I am not a security risk anywhere in the world.”

On the money laundering issue, Aondoakaa stated, “I have no single bank account in the United States and any foreign bank account anywhere in the world, including South Africa. I have not visited South Africa throughout my lifetime.

“The allegation of freezing $44million transaction and linking me with it is an April Fool story. I have no foreign account anywhere in the world and I have not done any transaction with anybody anywhere in the world.

“I am surprised that all this is coming when I returned from Rome and responded to reporters’ enquiries that the issue of zoning of any elective office post in Nigeria is not in the Constitution.

“And this publication is coming after I stated that the issue of electoral reform is on course. The simple reason for saying that the electoral reform is on course is that the constitution amendments needed, that will allow us to have an effective electoral law, for the reform were initiated during my time as the nation’s AGF based substantially on Justice Uwais Committee’s Report.

“The late President Umaru Yar’adua forwarded it to the National Assembly and President Goodluck Jonathan followed it . Therefore, the electoral reform is on course. And there is nothing the president or INEC can do if these laws are not given to them.”

Efforts to hear the American Embassy’s side of the story were unsuccessful. Officials who spoke on phone said since yesterday was a work-free day, they were not in office and therefore, did not have access to relevant information.