Presidency Accuses Kemi Badenoch of ‘Denigrating’ Nigeria for Party Acceptance

The Nigerian Presidency has accused UK minister Kemi Badenoch of denigrating Nigeria in a bid to gain acceptance within her political party, sparking diplomatic reactions.

Daniel Bwala, the presidential spokesman, thinks that Kemi Badenoch’s sharp remarks about Nigeria are aimed at earning approval from her fellow party members.

Badenoch recently expressed that she does not want the UK to resemble Nigeria, where she alleged governmental failure.

However, on Monday, Bwala, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communications, stated that the UK Conservative Party leader’s remark was intended to gain favor within her party.

According to Bwala on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the main issue with Kemi is her rhetoric. He explains that she aligns with the right-wing base in the United Kingdom and mirrors global populism by leveraging public anger to strengthen support systems.

She is constructing a narrative that disparages Nigeria in order to gain approval or acceptance from influential figures within her party. I find this approach counterproductive. Take Rishi Sunak, for example; he has Indian roots and hasn’t exploited the serious issue of gang rape in India as a means to distance himself from any negative perceptions associated with India’s past. In contrast, she consistently portrays Nigeria negatively.

However, the presidential spokesman dismissed concerns that Badenoch’s comments regarding Nigeria would impact the country’s attempts to attract investors.

“I believe it won’t have any impact since she isn’t the ruling government. International relationships or collaborations typically occur between governments. As she’s not in power, there will be no effect,” he said.

Secondly, being Nigerian, investors will be astute in evaluating her statements to determine whether they are merely rhetorical.