America’s richest man, Bill Gates, has cancelled his scheduled March 27 official visit to Nigeria in response to the controversial pardon granted by President Goodluck Jonathan to ex-convict Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
The US, it was learnt, is still peeved that Jonathan ignored the feelings of Nigerians and went ahead to pardon his former master, who was convicted of money laundering amounting to billions of Naira, thereby setting the anti-corruption war backwards.
The US is also angry that Nigeria summoned its envoy for questioning for daring to voice concerns over the pardon to corrupt persons.
Meanwhile, Presidency yesterday said the report in some news media that Bill Gates had cancelled his proposed visit because of the presidential pardon granted to some Nigerians was not correct.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said told newsmen in Abuja: “The visit was rescheduled because of other commitments by Bill Gates
That trip, authoritative diplomatic sources said, has now been cancelled, two days after the U.S. government expressed disappointment with its Nigerian counterpart for pardoning convicted money launderers and warned it might cut aid meant for the country.
“I can confirm to you that Mr. Gates won’t be coming as scheduled,” sources reportedly claimed Monday morning. “The body language of Washington D.C. does not support his travelling to Nigeria. The thinking here is that the Nigerian government has high tolerance level for corruption and should be ostracised in all ways possible.”
Our sources said Mr. Gates has already instructed his staff to inform the Nigerian presidency, the secretariat of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Federal Ministry of Health that he was no longer coming
Why Gates shunned Nigeria
Bill Gates, authoritative diplomatic sources said, cancelled his trip two days after the US government expressed disappointment over the pardon.
The sources said: “I can confirm to you that Mr. Gates won’t be coming as scheduled,” sources reportedly claimed yesterday morning. The body language of Washington D.C. does not support his travelling to Nigeria.
“The thinking here is that the Nigerian government has high tolerance level for corruption and should be ostracised in all ways possible.”
It was learnt that Gates had already instructed his staff to inform Aso Rock, the secretariat of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and the Federal Ministry of Health that he was no longer coming.
Last year, the US gave Nigeria about $226 million in development aid and is expected to spend $600 million this year.
Gates, who has been working with the Nigerian authorities since 2009 to combat the ravages of polio, a childhood disease that has been dusted by other countries, was scheduled to meet with some governors in the country, whose states were still being buffeted by polio, officials of the Federal Ministry of Health and Nigeria’s billionaire, Aliko Dangote.
Health Ministry source
A top official of the Health Ministry confirmed last night that they had received a notice from the Bill Gates Foundation cancelling the trip to Nigeria.
The official said there was nothing they could do than to put off necessary arrangements being made for the visit.
“Yes, it is true that the trip has been put off,” the official said. Competent diplomatic sources said the foundation opted to suspend the visit barely two days after the US government expressed disappointment with its Nigerian counterpart for pardoning convicted money launderers and warned it might cut aid meant for the country.
It was learnt that the cancellation of the trip had already been communicated to the Presidency and other stakeholders in the health sector in Nigeria.
In Lagos, US embassy said there was a lot of concern about the safety of medical personnel, who handle polio vaccination in some parts of Nigeria, especially the mindless killing of vaccination workers in Kano last month.
It said: “We know that Bill Gates Foundation was disturbed that the safety of polio-vaccine workers is not guaranteed in some parts of Nigeria but most importantly by the fact that there is no serious effort to promote mass education of the value of the programme to saving lives in endemic regions of the country.”
Why Gates shunned Nigeria
Bill Gates, authoritative diplomatic sources said, cancelled his trip two days after the US government expressed disappointment over the pardon.
The sources said: “I can confirm to you that Mr. Gates won’t be coming as scheduled,” sources reportedly claimed yesterday morning. The body language of Washington D.C. does not support his travelling to Nigeria.
“The thinking here is that the Nigerian government has high tolerance level for corruption and should be ostracised in all ways possible.”
It was learnt that Gates had already instructed his staff to inform Aso Rock, the secretariat of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and the Federal Ministry of Health that he was no longer coming.
Last year, the US gave Nigeria about $226 million in development aid and is expected to spend $600 million this year.
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Bill Gates
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Health Ministry source
A top official of the Health Ministry confirmed last night that they had received a notice from the Bill Gates Foundation cancelling the trip to Nigeria.
The official said there was nothing they could do than to put off necessary arrangements being made for the visit.
“Yes, it is true that the trip has been put off,” the official said. Competent diplomatic sources said the foundation opted to suspend the visit barely two days after the US government expressed disappointment with its Nigerian counterpart for pardoning convicted money launderers and warned it might cut aid meant for the country.
It was learnt that the cancellation of the trip had already been communicated to the Presidency and other stakeholders in the health sector in Nigeria.
In Lagos, US embassy said there was a lot of concern about the safety of medical personnel, who handle polio vaccination in some parts of Nigeria, especially the mindless killing of vaccination workers in Kano last month.
It said: “We know that Bill Gates Foundation was disturbed that the safety of polio-vaccine workers is not guaranteed in some parts of Nigeria but most importantly by the fact that there is no serious effort to promote mass education of the value of the programme to saving lives in endemic regions of the country.”
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Welcomed decision!!
ReplyDeleteOur shameless leaders will never be bothered. They will likely say “who cares if he comes or not?" the only tin that will pain them is the threat to stop aid to Nigeria.
ReplyDeletewho cares indeed. Let Nigeria too stop sending crude oil to the outside world and see if they wont come begging. If not for corruption
ReplyDeleteU are wrong indeed
DeleteYou are damn wrong 6:00pm! And who told you Americans rely on Nigeria oil? Nigeria is just one of their numerous options. Do you know how much Bill Gates donates annually to fight Polio in this country? We are the ones to lose, not them!
DeleteWhen God wants to deal with evil people he will corrupt their mind and their thinking will turn upside down!
ReplyDeleteNigerian leaders are typical examples. Let their mind be more corrupted so that their judgement will come like that of Pharaoh of Egypt and King Nebucahnezar
abeg let me here word what of obama that spoil the world with his gay mariage
ReplyDeleteWetin we dey talk wetin dis one dey talk?
DeleteWhat example is there to learn?that's what i expect from u all..
ReplyDeleteWhy is he or anyone shouting? Even the US is shouting someone pls remind them that when president Richard Nixon resign at d eve of his impeachment over the watergate scandal, his successor and former vice Gerald Ford gave him a presidential pardon that save him from being tried. But when such happens in Nigeria they'll label us as d most corrupt country in d world. The president only acted the human part of being a president some sentiment to his former boss is not too bad, after all the man has served out his jail term.
ReplyDeleteThank u my dear.late bill wat stop coming he is not God.who is holly in this country.pls live GEJ with his boss DSP
DeleteWhen a country votes in a man with 'no shoes' he will surely remove the wheels/shoes of progress of the country! period.....
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 6pm u r a bastard, infact member of boko haram, pple dat don't want dis country to grow. Can Nigeria withstand isolation by international body? Crude oil u r talking about, we can't even refine it, so what are we saying? Are we china? U better be careful. Sparrow
ReplyDeleteUS can do better without Nigerian crude. GEJ has only exhibited padi padi attitude. Pardon Anamesesiga is a decision dat shld be takin by Nigerians not GEJ alone. I hereby suggest dat dat section of d constitution shld be amended. D bigger surprise is dat d convict is plannin to run for a political office in 2015. Dis is no doubt d worst country on d planet earth. Tufiakwa
ReplyDeleteBill Gates can cancel his visits Nigerian. Obama can even go ahead to cancel his visit to Nigeria, who cares. What changes or prospect has Obama’s visit to Ghana brought to Ghana people.
ReplyDeleteThis administration has lost focus,not this time around should mr president pardon Alamieyeseigha ..when the country is not settle,when corruption is on increase and fighting it poses a lot of challenge to government
ReplyDelete