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You can’t lie about your country and then we keep quiet – Dabiri-Erewa slams Kemi Badenoch over claim on Nigerian citizenship

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The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has criticised United Kingdom Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, over her recent claim that Nigerian law prevents her from passing citizenship to her children because she is a woman.

Dabiri-Erewa, speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, described Badenoch’s statement as “misleading” and “entirely untrue.” She argued that the claim contradicts Section 25(1)(c) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that a person born outside Nigeria is eligible for citizenship if either parent is a Nigerian citizen.

“But that is not true. Don’t divulge false information. You go on international media and spin a lie — that is a lie — that is not even true. And I’m sure people have responded,” Dabiri-Erewa said on Friday.

She added that while Nigeria supports its diaspora, denigrating the country in public should not go unchallenged. “It’s not true, so why tell us something that is not true? Do you know the number of Nigerians we have in the UK in the political space who are doing very well? We don’t have to focus on one person, but when you denigrate your country, we reply to you.

“It’s not about me, or the President, or you — it’s about Nigeria. You can’t lie about your country, and then we keep quiet. There are many who are doing very well politically. So ours is to continue to work with every Nigerian in the diaspora, but you can’t force anybody,” she said.

Badenoch made the claim during an interview, stating, “It’s virtually impossible, for example, to get Nigerian citizenship. I have that citizenship by virtue of my parents. I can’t give it to my children because I’m a woman. Yet loads of Nigerians come to the UK and stay for a relatively free period of time, acquire British citizenship. We need to stop being naive.”

The comment sparked widespread backlash, including from Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer Femi Falana, who called the statement “a display of utter ignorance” and accused Badenoch of misinforming the British public to score political points.

This is not the first time Badenoch has drawn criticism for remarks about Nigeria. In December 2024, Vice President Kashim Shettima publicly rebuked her for “denigrating her country of origin,” accusing her of frequently making disparaging statements about Nigeria in contrast to her British identity.

Around the same period, she was criticised for reportedly describing Northern Nigerians as “ethnic enemies” and saying she identified more with her Yoruba heritage than with Nigeria as a nation.

She also faced backlash after claiming that Nigerian police officers had stolen her brother’s shoes and wristwatch. In the same context, she described Nigeria as “a very poor country” and accused its police of routinely misusing their authority. The presidency dismissed the account as a “cock and bull” story, and figures like Femi Fani-Kayode labelled her a hypocrite, pointing out that Nigerian police were still providing security for her family in Lagos.

Critics have repeatedly accused Badenoch of distancing herself from Nigeria to appeal to a conservative Western audience. NIDCOM has said she has declined to respond to its outreach efforts.

Badenoch was elected leader of the UK Conservative Party on November 2, 2025, succeeding Rishi Sunak following the party’s loss in the July general election. She secured 57 percent of the vote in a run-off against former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, becoming the first Black leader of a UK-wide political party.

Born in London in 1980, Badenoch spent part of her childhood in Lagos, Nigeria, and later lived in the United States, where her mother worked as a lecturer. She returned to the UK at age 16 to live with a family friend due to Nigeria’s economic conditions at the time.

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Trump administration cuts energy projects, freezes New York funding

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The Trump administration has announced plans to terminate dozens of clean energy projects and freeze billions of dollars for major projects in New York, intensifying a stand-off with Democrats over a US government shutdown.

US media outlets described the moves announced by the energy and transportation departments as part of the administration’s efforts to pressure Democrats in Congress to agree on a deal to end the shutdown.

US President Donald Trump had raced to enact hard-right policies even before the shutdown began after midnight on Tuesday, threatening mass firings and to slash government departments, and blaming Democrats for Congress’ failure to resolve a funding stand-off.

The Department of Energy announced on Thursday “the termination of 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects, resulting in a savings of approximately $7.56 billion for American taxpayers.”

It said in a statement that those projects — overseen by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and other bodies — “did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs… and would not provide a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.”

However, recipients of federal funding have 30 days to appeal against a termination decision, and some have already begun the process, the statement said.

It did not list the projects in question.

In a post on social media platform X, Russell Vought, who heads the powerful Office of Management and Budget, called the slashed projects “Green New Scam funding” that was used to advance “the Left’s climate agenda”.

He listed the states affected by the decision. They include California, New York and 14 others — all blue states where Trump failed to win in the 2024 presidential elections.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said the Trump administration had decided to cancel “up to $1.2 billion” slated for a major hydrogen energy project, threatening tens of thousands of jobs.

“In Trump’s America, energy policy is set by the highest bidder, economics and common sense be damned,” Newsom said in a statement, vowing to keep pursuing a “clean energy strategy… no matter what DC tries to dictate.”

In New York — the home state of top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — the Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday it was freezing nearly $18 billion in federal funding for two major infrastructure projects, the Second Avenue subway and Hudson Tunnel.

The move takes aim at diversity, equity and inclusion policies, according to the department’s statement, saying that subsidizing projects with “race- and sex-based contracting requirements… is unconstitutional, counter to civil rights laws, and a waste of taxpayer resources.”

The funds would be frozen until a “quick administrative review is complete,” it said.

“Thanks to the Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries shutdown, however, USDOT’s review of New York’s unconstitutional practices will take more time,” it added, saying that the department “has been forced to furlough the civil rights staff responsible for conducting this review.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said in a statement that halting funding for “critical infrastructure projects” was “political payback and an attack on New York.”

“Donald Trump has been clear: he is intent on using his reckless government shutdown to hurt the American people,” she said.

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Shettima returns to Abuja after attending UNGA, meetings in Germany

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Abuja after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and high-level engagements in Germany.

The vice president’s aircraft touched down at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in the early hours of Thursday, where he was received by senior government officials.

During the week-long engagements, Shettima delivered the President’s national statement at the UNGA, calling for comprehensive reforms of the global body.

Vice President Kashim Shettima is being welcomed some government officials at the airport. Photo: State House

He also advocated Africa’s sovereignty over its estimated $700 billion mineral resources and strengthened Nigeria’s partnerships with the United Kingdom, the Gates Foundation, and other international stakeholders.

In New York, Shettima met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who commended Nigeria’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

The vice president also showcased Nigeria’s $200 billion energy transition opportunities to global investors and assured members of the Nigerian diaspora of continued engagement in the Tinubu administration’s policies and programmes.

He later proceeded to Germany for further strategic meetings before returning to the country.

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Lagos unveils artisan certification to curb building collapse

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The Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory has launched a new certification and training programme for artisans in the construction industry as part of efforts to stem the spate of building collapses in the state.

The initiative, known as the Certified Structural Integrated Programme, was unveiled at a stakeholders’ forum held in Ese-Offin and Badagry, where block moulders, bricklayers, concrete mixers, steel fabricators and welders converged to pledge support for safer construction practices.

In a statement on Thursday by the Lagos Government, General Manager of LSMTL, Olayinka Abdul, said the programme marked a decisive step in tackling recurring tragedies linked to substandard construction materials.

“Without artisans, there is no construction. But with you, we have the power to ensure every construction is safe, sound, and secure. We need to earnestly curb episodes of collapse in high-water-prone communities, and we do not want such in your community. It ends today,” he said.

According to the statement, the CSIP is a five-year assessment programme aimed at certifying construction materials as fit-for-purpose.

It will also produce an official directory of approved block moulders, concrete mixers and steel fabricators, to whom developers will be directed for supplies.

“This is not just about enforcement; it is about partnership and empowerment. Together, we can forge an unbreakable alliance that makes Lagos a model for building safety and integrity,” Abdul added.

Technical experts at the forum highlighted the scientific backing for the initiative. Director of the Soil and Geotechnics Unit, Engr. Abimbola Adebayo, stressed the need for mandatory soil tests before construction.

Similarly, Kayode Akinfeleye of the Technical Services Department advised builders to ensure architectural drawings are obtained and preserved, describing them as “a core requirement in the Lagos building process.”

Artisan guild leaders welcomed the initiative. Chairman of the National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria, Alhaji Fabiyi Oyeleke, described frequent collapses as “disheartening” and commended the forum as a step in the right direction.

On his part, Chairman of the Lagos State Bricklayers Association, Mr. Fashina Aro, noted the peculiarities of Lagos’s swampy terrain and urged all stakeholders to ensure materials and soil tests are completed before bricklayers commence work on any site.

Building collapse has been a persistent challenge in Lagos, with many lives lost and substantial property damage over the years.

In recent incidents, emergency responders have had to rescue workers from collapsed structures.

PUNCH Online reports that rescue teams pulled eight workers from the debris of a collapsed building in September.

Reports by the Building Collapse Prevention Guild show Lagos accounts for about 55% of recorded building collapse incidents in Nigeria over the past several decades.

In response, Lagos has taken steps to strengthen bodies like the Lagos State Building Control Agency, enhancing enforcement, monitoring, and regulation of building standards.

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