British Envoy Faults Fani-Kayode's Comments During Elections

The United Kingdom has criticized Femi Fani-Kayode, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), over controversial comments made during the electoral season.

Ben Llewellyn-Jones, British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, during an interview with Nigeria Info, a radio station, said the APC presidential campaign spokesman made derogatory remarks.

While marketing Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the ruling party who eventually won the election, Fani-Kayode came down hard on other candidates and their parties.

The Department of State Services (DSS) summoned him after he tweeted that Atiku Abubakar, presidential flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had a meeting with some top generals before the elections.

Commenting on the events that shaped the polity in the build-up to the election, Llewellyn-Jones said, “Yes, let’s be specific, there were some people, like Femi Fani-Kayode, what is he saying and why is he saying it? I don’t understand.

“It is wrong from my perspective that he will speak on behalf of a party and that party does not distance itself from him and say stop doing that. It is wrong to say that.”

Llewellyn-Jones reiterated the fact that the UK government would issue visa bans to people undermining democracy.

According to him, there are about 10 persons already on the watchlist.

“We have a list, we are working through our list but we don’t publish those names. I know people say we should, but we have laws, and the law prevents us from doing that.

“At the moment the list is between 5 and 10 and it is growing,” he added.