Vice President Kashim Shettima has criticized Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected leader of the UK Conservative Party, for speaking negatively about Nigeria.
He made this statement on Monday during the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue at the State House in Abuja.
The Vice President remarked, “Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Conservative Party, is someone we take pride in, despite her attempts to denigrate her country of origin.”
“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.
“One out of every three, four black men is a Nigerian and by 2050, Nigeria will support the United States, will be the third most populous nation on earth.”
The Vice President also emphasized the important contributions migrants make to societal development and economic growth.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding migrants’ rights, while honoring their legacies and contributions to national progress.
In 2022, Badenoch, a UK Member of Parliament of Nigerian heritage and a former UK Prime Minister candidate, accused Nigerian politicians of misusing public funds for personal purposes.
After Badenoch became the UK Conservative Party leader in November 2024, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), revealed that her office had reached out to Badenoch, but did not receive a response.
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