The Nigerian Presidency has strongly refuted claims made by Kemi Badenoch, the recently elected leader of the UK Conservative Party, regarding her upbringing in Nigeria. In a statement on Monday, President Bola Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, described Badenoch’s remarks as a “cock and bull story.”
Ajayi criticized Badenoch for painting a negative picture of her Nigerian childhood. The UK leader had previously alleged that corruption and insecurity plagued her upbringing in Nigeria, claiming, among other things, that police officers once stole her brother’s shoes.
Ajayi stated, “For someone who has obviously lied about everything she said about her upbringing in Nigeria just for the feel-good effect of keeping her new job, how can we be sure her brother’s so-called police experience in Nigeria was not another made-up story?”
He also rejected Badenoch’s claims about a lack of clean water and poor education infrastructure, emphasizing her privileged upbringing as the daughter of a university professor and a successful doctor.
This reaction comes amid heightened scrutiny of Badenoch’s statements, which have previously sparked controversy among Nigerians. Following her election in November 2024, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) reportedly attempted to establish contact with Badenoch, but she declined to engage.
