Daniel Bwala, special adviser on public communications and media to President Bola Tinubu, has expressed dissatisfaction with UK Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch’s criticisms of Nigeria, saying it is sad the Tory leader is projecting her home country in a bad light. 

Mr Bwala, in a tweet on Sunday, said Ms Badenoch is denigrating her home country to please the far right in the UK.

“I truly wish that sister @KemiBadenoch would avoid denigrating Nigeria, the country of her origin, as a weapon to please her far-right base,” Mr Bwala said in a reaction to Ms Badenoch’s remarks that Nigerian governments destroy lives.

Mr Bwala accused Ms Badenoch of promoting terrible rhetoric against her home country, unlike her predecessor, Rishi Sunak, who never denigrated India.

The presidential aide said Ms Badenoch “is smart, intelligent and we are proud of her rise in the politics of the UK; but we are equally saddened by her terrible rhetoric against Nigeria.”

“Rishi Sunak never weaponised the gang rape and other vices in India, the country of his origin, just so he would impress the far right base.”

In her first speech of the year on Thursday, Ms Badenock said she did not want Britain to be like “poor” Nigeria, where terrible government destroy lives

“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has,” said Ms Badenoch. “I grew up in a poor country, and I watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer and poorer despite working harder as their money disappeared with inflation.”

“I came back to the UK at 16 with my father’s last £100 and a hope of a better life. So, I’ve lived with the consequences of a terrible government that destroys lives, and I never ever want that to happen here.”

The Tory leader’s criticisms of her home country have sparked reactions on social media, with many Nigerians cheering her.