Nigeria, Sept. 20 -- Andy Uba, a controversial Nigerian politician, indicted some years back for smuggling dollars to the U.S and pound to the UK, is just a step away from possibly becoming the next governor of Anambra State.

Mr Uba was subject of a U.S investigation into an advance fee fraud scheme, known as 419 in Nigeria, according to the U.S government.

In the UK where he was barred from entering, the authorities said the Nigerian politician was associated with "fraud and other criminal activities", and that "his presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public good".

Mr Uba is the candidate of one of the major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, ...