Anietie Udobit, Abuja
A former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has slammed the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, over her claim regarding Nigerian citizenship laws.
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During an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Sunday, Badenoch asserted that she cannot pass on her Nigerian citizenship to her children because of her gender.
She suggested that it is easier for Nigerians to acquire British citizenship than for foreigners to become Nigerians.
“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,” she said.
Reacting in a post via his X handle on Monday, Sani berated Badenoch for bothering about getting a Nigerian citizenship for her children.
The former lawmaker asked Badenoch to enjoy her adopted home and leave Nigeria alone.
He wrote, “Why should Kemi Badenoch be bothered about getting a Nigerian citizenship for her offspring from a country she rebuked and rejected? She should just enjoy her adopted home and leave us alone in our father’s home.”
Born in the UK to Nigerian parents, Olukemi Adegoke (now Kemi Badenoch) grew up in Lagos before returning to Britain at 16.
She later married Scottish banker Hamish Badenoch and adopted his surname. The couple has three children.