Yoruba Nation: Petition Submitted By Sunday Igboho Was Rejected Coz We Usually Stay Off Such Matters-UK Envoy
British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr Richard Montgomery, has commented on the petition submitted by Mr. Sunday Adeyemo aka Igboho and others in London during the weekend in which they had sought support for ‘Yoruba nation’, submitting that the United Kingdom do not get involved in the sovereign affairs of other countries.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Mr Montgomery said this in a statement he issued on Tuesday while noting that he was pleased to have met with the Foreign Affairs minister to discuss the matter.
The high commissioner said he reassured the minister that the document in question was not 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 No 10. The High Commissioner noted that any petition concerning the sovereign affairs of another country is 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 statement added.
He further restated the importance of bilateral relations, investment, security and defence, and home affairs between his country and Nigeria.
Recall that Mr Igboho had submitted the petition in question to the UK government during the weekend noting that he had done this on behalf of the leader of Yoruba Nation Movement, Prof. Adebanji Akintoye.
He was seen in a viral video at the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer’s office on Downing Street along with supporters during which he was believed to have sought his support for ‘Yoruba nation’.
Recall also that Igboho’s spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, had in a X.com post on Sunday disclosed that a petition has been submitted to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, to consider the creation of Yoruba nation.
‘At exactly 14:00 hrs Dr. Chief Sunday Igboho delivered a petition to the UK Prime Minister on behalf of Prof. Adebanji Akintoye, leader of the YORUBA NATION movement, and Olayomi Koiki, his spokesman @10DowningStreet’ he wrote.
The Federal Government had also earlier on Tuesday said the petition calling on the United Kingdom to consider support for ‘Yoruba nation’ was not endorsed by the UK government.
Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, in a statement he issued in Abuja on Tuesday, said media reports on the petition ‘were highly misleading’.
‘Following media reports on the petition submitted at No. 10 Downing Street by Mr Sunday Adeyemo popularly called Sunday Igboho, the British High Commissioner in Abuja was invited to shed light on the issue.
During the meeting, the High Commissioner noted with concern that the matter was overblown, indicating that the media reports were highly misleading.
Furthermore, the High Commissioner informed that he was aware of the letter being delivered but added that it was merely an established practice of allowing the delivery of letters and petitions to No. 10.
It was not endorsed by any agency of the UK government nor the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee.
The UK government typically does not concern itself with petitions concerning the sovereign affairs of another country’ he said-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
