Vice President Kashim Shettima has accused Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, of making disparaging remarks about her country of origin, Nigeria.
Speaking at the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue held at the State House in Abuja on Monday, Shettima said, “Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Labour or Conservative Party.
We are proud of her in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin.”
The Vice President acknowledged Badenoch’s right to her opinions but expressed disappointment over her comments.
“She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name, but that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is the nation called Nigeria,” Shettima stated.
He went on to highlight Nigeria’s global importance, remarking, “One out of every three, four black men is a Nigerian, and by 2050, Nigeria will support the United States and will be the third most populous nation on earth.”
In his address, Shettima also underscored the vital contributions of migrants to societal and economic development, reaffirming the Nigerian government’s commitment to protecting migrant rights and celebrating their achievements.
The remarks come amid lingering tension from comments made by Badenoch in 2022 when she accused Nigerian politicians of misappropriating public funds.
Despite her election as the leader of the UK Conservative Party in November 2024, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) revealed that attempts to engage with her office have been unsuccessful.
NIDCOM Chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa confirmed that the commission reached out to Badenoch after her election but received no response.
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