Dr. C.C. Freeman, a prominent UK-based Nigerian advocate, has issued a direct call to Abike Dabiri-Erewa, urging her to focus on addressing Nigeria’s deep-rooted corruption rather than seeking diplomatic engagement with Kemi Badenoch, the UK Conservative Party leader.
In his statement, Dr. Freeman emphasized that corruption remains the primary obstacle to Nigeria’s progress and that the government must prioritize systemic reform for true development to occur.
While Dabiri-Erewa has been an outspoken advocate on various international platforms, Dr. Freeman believes her efforts would be better spent addressing Nigeria’s internal challenges.
He pointed out that, unlike Nigeria, the United Kingdom has a zero-tolerance policy towards bribery and corruption, and commended Badenoch’s firm stance on these issues.
However, Dr. Freeman argued that Dabiri-Erewa’s energy would be more effectively directed towards confronting the corruption that cripples Nigeria.
“Nigeria is being suffocated by bribery and corruption,” Dr. Freeman declared. “If Abike Dabiri-Erewa is serious about helping her country, she should focus on demanding that Nigerian leaders—especially President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly—enact and enforce stringent laws to dismantle the systems of corruption that have held the country back for decades.”
Dr. Freeman further stated that any outreach to Kemi Badenoch would be futile unless Dabiri-Erewa joins the national effort to combat corruption.
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He stressed that meaningful change in Nigeria can only occur through unity and a robust legal framework aimed at eradicating corruption at all levels of government.
“The only way Kemi Badenoch would be inclined to engage with you is if you stand united with one voice to fight corruption in Nigeria,” Dr. Freeman continued. “Until then, all the global engagements and diplomatic meetings will be ineffective. The real work must be done within Nigeria.”
In his call to action, Dr. Freeman is pushing Nigerian leaders to make the fight against corruption their central focus.
He emphasized that addressing bribery and corrupt practices is essential to unlocking the nation’s potential and achieving long-term development.
As calls for a more transparent and accountable government grow louder, it remains to be seen whether figures like Abike Dabiri-Erewa will take up Dr. Freeman’s challenge and prioritize tackling corruption in Nigeria’s political landscape.