By Adetokunbo FAKEYE
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery on Tuesday said, any petition concerning the sovereign affairs of another country are not a matter for the UK government.
Montgomery, who stated this in a statement issued regarding the press coverage on a Yoruba Nation petition handed to No.10 Downing Street by a Nigerian national, Sunday Adeyemo said, the petition was in no way endorsed by any official body of the UK government or the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee.
“The delivery merely reflected an established practice of allowing the delivery of letters and petitions to No10”, he stated.
The High Commissioner noted that any petition concerning the sovereign affairs of another country are not a matter for the UK government.
He underscored that the issue is a matter for the government and legislature of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and noted that similar petitions had been rejected by the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee and the UK government in the past.
The High Commissioner agreed to continue liaising with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as needed.
He reiterated the importance of the bilateral partnership between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The High Commissioner noted the bilateral progress on a range of issues with the present administration of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, and particularly new agreements on enhanced trade and investment, security and defence, and home affairs.
He renewed his assurances of highest regards for the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
