Visa ban threat: Recall Llewellyn-Jones for interfering in Nigerian politics, Fani-Kayode tells UK

Femi Fani-Kayode, chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on the United Kingdom (UK) to recall Ben Llewellyn-Jones, the country’s deputy high commissioner to Nigeria, for “attempting to involve himself in our politics”.

In a tweet on his Twitter page on Tuesday, Fani-Kayode questioned the UK envoy’s competence as a diplomat, adding that “we deserve far better”.

On Sunday, Llewellyn-Jones had faulted the APC chieftain’s several comments in reference to the opposition, which often contained words and phrases deemed derogatory, divisive, and inciting.

The deputy high commissioner noted that 10 people had been added to the growing watchlist of the UK visa ban.

On the same day, Fani-Kayode had reacted to the envoy’s remarks by saying he would not be intimidated by a “veiled threat of a visa ban”.

The former minister added that he would not take lessons on “what to say or how to speak” from the UK envoy.

In a fresh layer of reactions, Fani-Kayode accused Llewellyn-Jones of “interfering in our internal affairs”, adding that he still awaits the UK envoy’s “evidence of my so-called ‘hate speech’ against the Igbo from him”.

 “I call on the British Govt. to recall Benedict Llewellyn-Jones, the Dep. British High Commissioner, from our country for interfering in our internal affairs and attempting to involve himself in our politics,” the tweet reads.

“Someone, please tell him that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being an ethnic nationalist and seeking to preserve your identity, land, culture, values, and ways as a people whilst at the same time opening your doors to others from your nation and welcoming them with open arms.

“There is a great difference between peaceful co-existence based on love and mutual respect for your fellow compatriots and a total and complete capitulation and rejection of who we are and where we are coming from as a people.

“We espouse the former and reject the latter.

 “He needs to know before he makes any more embarrassing blunders about our people and country and before he attempts to lecture us or involve himself in our politics again.”