Former presidential aide and media personality, Dr. Reuben Abati, has criticised British Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, describing her as a hypocrite over her recent comments on Nigerian citizenship.
Badenoch, who currently serves as a senior UK government official, had stated during an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Sunday that she is unable to pass her Nigerian citizenship to her children due to her gender. She used the example to highlight what she described as restrictive immigration laws in countries like Nigeria, compared to the UK, which she said immigrants often exploit.
Reacting to her comments on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, Abati said Badenoch was attempting to be politically correct while benefiting from hard-right rhetoric in the UK.
“She has positioned herself as an ultra-Conservative figure, often using anti-immigration rhetoric to appear more British than the British,” Abati said.
He questioned Badenoch’s sincerity, noting that her criticism of Nigeria was inconsistent with her desire for her children to acquire Nigerian citizenship.
“It is the height of hypocrisy that she wants her children to be Nigerian citizens while simultaneously denigrating the country,” he added.
Badenoch’s remarks have sparked widespread debate, particularly among Nigerians in the diaspora, with many questioning the motivations behind her comments and her stance on dual citizenship and immigration.
