The ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to contest the 2011 presidential election appears to be getting some negative mention in the international security circles, following indications the United States security services have placed him under close watch.

Information at the disposal of the Saturday Tribune indicated that the United States security outfits in conjunction with operatives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Mi5 of the United Kingdom are working on certain information relating to Atiku.

Sources claimed that Atiku’s activities came into focus following indications that he was putting his Potomac house on sale and relocating his interests to the UAE.

Diplomatic sources stated that Atiku is under watch after he relocated his wife, Jemilar, from the United States to the UAE.

“The reports are to the effect that Atiku is under watch for a number of issues. There are fresh insights into the Thomas Jefferson case. There are also indications that he plans to sell his house in Potomac, Maryland and relocate the proceeds to the UAE. The house is worth millions of dollars. The movement of funds around him is being watched,” a source close to the development said during the week.

Other sources said that the US is also watching Atiku over reports linking him to alleged acquisition of OPL 245 through an Italian and other associates.

“The Mi5 has worked closely with the UAE authorities in recent years. They are worried about movement of funds into the UAE. They are aware that a number of top Nigerians are fast turning the UAE into abodes and they are settled on the need to track funds no matter the intent,” another source said.

But the spokesman of Atiku Campaign organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, said in an interview that the former vice president believed that he was being closely monitored by the Nigerian authorities rather than American security operatives.

He said: “Atiku is not an American. He does not own investments in the US. What we gathered was that the Nigerian government plans to uproot all the Obasanjo cases against Atiku and use them to scandalise him.”

Shehu said that the House in Potomac was not on sale and that whoever planned to buy it should beware.

“What is happening is that the Jonathan government has been gathering dirty things about its opponents. We are aware that the legal adviser to the government has asked for cooperation and support from the US government so that they can reopen all those Obasanjo cases against him. And the American government told him that in all those cases, they did not find anything against Atiku and that the US government does not think it is politically wise for them to dabble into local Nigerian politics,” Atiku’s spokesman said.

Jonathan please dont waste your time fighting this man. The money he has you cant spend it our Judiciary, Obj tried they used the Media to destroy the truth will come out. If it is the USA then it is all good, they made him they will destroy him.

God Bless My President God Bless Nigeria