The Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar who has a known ongoing visa restriction placed against him by the United States government due to a contract scandal involving Nigerian and American officials in the mid-2000s, debunked media reports stating that he will be attending the Africa Trade and Global Investment Summit (ATIGS) which is to hold in Washington DC, USA on the 24th-27th of June 2018. Reports have been carried over the weekend asserting that Mr. Abubakar would speak at the summit, having been listed as number one among dozens of personalities who had been invited to the event by the organizers .

Mr. Paul Ibe, spokesperson for the ex- vice president who officially disclaimed the reports to Premium Times on Monday stated that; “There is no such invitation to the former vice president,” “We are not aware of such invitation and we do not know how they managed to put his name on their list.”  An e-mail which was sent to the organizers of the summit on Monday afternoon seeking clarifications as to Mr. Abubakar’s announced attendance was not promptly returned.

Some of the other personalities listed among those also said to have been invited by the organizers of the summit are; Governor Nyesom Wike, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu,  and Trade and Investment Minister, Okechukwu Elelamah, whom have not officially commented on the reports.