STATEMENT BY THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER ON PRESS COVERAGE ON A YORUBA NATION PETITION TO THE UK GOVERNMENT
Richard Montgomery, CMG, the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Abuja, acknowledged the 15th October 2024 statement issued by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the press coverage on a Yoruba Nation petition handed to No 10 Downing Street by a Nigerian national, Sunday Adeyemo.
The High Commissioner was pleased to discuss this issue with Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs on 14th October 2024. He noted the Honourable Minister’s concern and understood that press reports were misleading.
The High Commissioner reassured the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs that the petition was in no way endorsed by any official body of the UK government or the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee. The delivery merely reflected an established practice of allowing the delivery of letters and petitions to No10.
The High Commissioner noted that any petition concerning the sovereign affairs of another country are not a matter for the UK government. The High Commissioner underscored that this is a matter for the government and legislature of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and noted that similar petitions had been rejected by the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee and the UK government in the past.
The High Commissioner agreed to continue liaising with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as needed.
The High Commissioner reiterated the importance of the bilateral partnership between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He noted bilateral progress on a range of issues with the present administration of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, and particularly new agreements on enhanced trade and investment, security and defence, and home affairs. He renewed his assurances of highest regards for the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Recall that Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, last week submitted a petition to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, to consider the creation of a Yoruba nation.
