EKO HOT BLOG reports that the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, has criticized former Minister of Aviation and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Femi Fani-Kayode, over his controversial statements.
Fani-Kayode has been known to make statements and posts deemed derogatory, divisive, and inciting to opposition parties.
Speaking in an interview on Nigeria Info FM on Sunday, Jones expressed concern that Fani-Kayode’s statements have been triggers for violence leading up to the election. He further noted that the APC has not distanced itself from the former minister’s comments and refused to caution him.
Jones stated that it is wrong for Fani-Kayode to speak on behalf of a party and that the party should distance itself from him and ask him to stop making such statements. The envoy emphasized the need for unity, adding that it is crucial for political leaders to discourage their supporters from making divisive and inciting statements.
“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.
“To me, it is really important, people who have said I am part of a party’s press and media campaign, well, the party itself should say no you are not, and you should stop and we do not agree. I know that some leaders very clearly said we are about unity, and that is good, I encourage that.
“The problem is if you get the other people over here, who are very clearly associated with the party and giving you another message, and there isn’t any kind of calling out of that. What would you take from that as a voter?”
Regarding the UK’s visa ban threat to those undermining democracy, Jones reiterated that about 10 individuals are on the growing watchlist.
He emphasized that the UK is working through its list of individuals who are considered to be undermining democracy in Nigeria. While the UK does not publish the names of individuals on the list due to legal restrictions, Jones noted that they are gathering information on specific individuals that will enable them to impose the visa ban.
It would be recalled that Fani-Kayode claimed that the Department of State Services (DSS) invited him for making claims that Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), met with army generals prior to the elections.
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