Clinton cancels planned visit to Nigeria ahead of 2019 elections

Clinton was scheduled to participate in the second signing of the National Peace Accord, planned to take place on February 13, 2019 at the Abuja International Conference Centre. An initial agreement was signed last December by President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC); Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); and other major presidential candidates. National Peace Committee, led by former Nigerian Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, is facilitating the agreement, which is designed to guarantee a peaceful outcome of the upcoming presidential election. “President Clinton appreciates General Abdulsalami Abubakar and the Nigerian National Peace Committee’s invitation to travel to Nigeria,” Ureña said “He is incredibly supportive and respectful of the Committee’s efforts, of the election process, and of the work being done to try to ensure a peaceful, free, fair, and transparent outcome. This is a crucial time in Nigeria, and President Clinton is hopeful that the election’s outcome reflects the will of the Nigerian people.” The Spokesman for President Bill Clinton further said, “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 traveling to Abuja.” Ureña said the former U.S. president, whose wife was the Democratic Party’s candidate for the 2016 American presidential election, looks forward to talking to General Abubakar this week, along with the two major candidates of the presidential election due to take place on Saturday, February 16th. ]]>