By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Federal Government has said the petition by Yoruba nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, seeking the support of United Kingdom Prime Minister for Yoruba nation was not endorsed by the UK government.
A statement by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, on Tuesday, said media reports on the petition “were highly misleading.”
He explained that following media reports on the petition submitted at No. 10, Downing Street by 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, Downing Street.
“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.
Abu-Obe quoted the High Commissioner to have said that such petitions had been rejected by the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee and the UK government in the past.
He added that the High Commissioner agreed to continue liaising with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as needed, and reiterated the importance of bilateral relations between the UK and Nigeria.
Igboho, according to a post on X by his spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, submitted a petition to the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, to consider the creation of a Yoruba nation.
He stated that Igboho submitted the petition on behalf of the leader of Yoruba nation movement, Prof. Adebanji Akintoye.
“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 on Sunday.