Daniel Bwala Calls Kemi Badenoch’s Remarks Political Posturing

Daniel Bwala, the Presidential spokesman, has accused Kemi Badenoch, the newly elected leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, of deliberately undermining Nigeria to secure support from her party’s right-wing faction. Badenoch recently stated that she does not want the UK to become like Nigeria, which she described as a nation where the government has failed.

Bwala, speaking to Newsmen, argued that Badenoch’s comments were politically motivated and aimed at boosting her image within the Conservative Party. He suggested that her rhetoric of criticizing Nigeria was a tactic to gain favor from the right-wing base of her party, saying, “You can deepen your support system if you feed off of the anger of the people.”

He further criticized Badenoch for focusing on denigrating Nigeria, describing it as counterproductive. Bwala contrasted Badenoch’s approach with that of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who, despite facing challenges in his country of Indian origin, has never resorted to disparaging India to gain political traction.

“Rishi Sunak has faced issues like gang-related violence in India, but he’s never used them to discredit his country,” Bwala pointed out, emphasizing that Sunak’s leadership does not rely on such divisive tactics.

Despite the controversy, Bwala downplayed concerns that Badenoch’s comments would harm Nigeria’s ability to attract foreign investment. He pointed out that since Badenoch is not in power, her statements wouldn’t influence international relations or collaborations. He also noted that investors are likely to recognize her remarks as political rhetoric rather than an accurate portrayal of Nigeria’s economic situation.

Badenoch, who became the Conservative Party leader on November 2, 2024, has yet to respond to the Nigerian government’s criticism.