The Profile of the New British Prime Minister, THERESA MAY

THERESA MAY

Political Profile

Date of birth: 1 October 1956

Job: Home secretary

One of the longest-serving home secretaries in British history, Mrs May, who turns 60 later this year, has long been regarded as a potential future leader of the party.

An early advocate of Conservative “modernisation” with a famously exotic taste in shoes, she is seen as one of Westminster’s toughest and shrewdest operators.

Her political stock rose when, in 2013, she succeeded where many other home secretaries before her had failed and successfully deported radical cleric Abu Qatada. But she has faced constant criticism over the government’s failure to meet its promise to get net migration down to below 100,000 a year.

First elected to Parliament in 1997 as the MP for Maidenhead, Mrs May joined the shadow cabinet in 1999 as shadow education secretary and in 2002, she became the party’s first female chairman. She ruffled feathers at that year’s Conservative conference when she told party members that they were seen as members of the “nasty party”. Some in the party have never forgiven her for it.

Mrs May – who became the UK’s most senior female politician after being appointed home secretary in 2010 – has been a prominent advocate of positive action to recruit more women Tories to winnable seats. She has persistently called for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights but she has said she would drop this policy if she became prime minister, saying there is not a parliamentary majority for it.

In 2014, she stunned the annual conference of the Police Federation by telling them corruption problems were not just limited to “a few bad apples” and threatening to end the federation’s automatic right to enrol officers as its members.

In the same year, she got into a bitter public row with cabinet colleague Michael Gove over the best way to combat Islamist extremism, which ended with Gove having to apologise to the prime minister and Mrs May having to sack a long-serving special adviser.

Prior to her parliamentary career, Mrs May worked at the Bank of England, and rose to become head of the European Affairs Unit of the Association for Payment Clearing Services.

Mrs May, who revealed in 2013 that she has type 1 diabetes, grew up in Oxfordshire, the only child of a Church of England vicar. She met her future husband Philip at university, where she studied geography, and they were married in 1980. The couple have no children.

Education: Mainly state-educated at Wheatley Park Comprehensive School with a brief time at an independent school; St Hugh’s College, Oxford

Family: Married

On her party’s future: “(It is) nothing less than the patriotic duty of our party to unite and to govern in the best interests of the whole country. We need a bold, new positive vision for the future of our country – a country that works not for a privileged few but for every one of us.” Says people want more than just a “Brexit PM” and has vowed to unify the Leave and Remain factions in the party.

Where she stands on Brexit: Backed Remain campaign but says vote to come out must be respected. “Brexit means Brexit. The campaign was fought, the vote was held, turnout was high and the public gave their verdict. There must be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to rejoin it through the back door and no second referendum.” Mrs May also said there should be no general election before 2020 and no “emergency” Brexit budget – and that she would abandon the target of eliminating Britain’s Budget deficit by the end of the decade – a day before the chancellor himself abandoned it.

When she would trigger Article 50: Would not push the button to take Britain out of the EU before the end of 2016, to give Britain time to “finalise” its negotiating stance.

Free movement policy: “It must be a priority to allow British companies to trade with the single market in goods and services but also to regain more control of the numbers of people who are coming here from Europe.”

She has said the status of EU nationals living in the UK would form part of the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, refusing to guarantee that they will be allowed to remain, in contrast to her rivals. She has also suggested migration could rise ahead of the UK’s eventual exit from the EU but remains committed to the government’s aim of getting net migration below 100,000 a year.

What the press say: “In a political party that struggles to shake off its elitist, old Etonian, yah-boo-sucks reputation, May represents a different kind of politician: a calm headmistress in a chamber full of over-excitable public schoolboys. She holds herself at one remove… her obdurate stance has earned her some vociferous critics. There are those who claim that, while she takes care never to sully her own hands with the grubby business of political backstabbing, she will send out her team to issue ferocious briefings against her rivals.” The Guardian.

The new PM is known for her exotic taste in shoes.

United Kingdom Gets New Prime Minister As Cameron Officially Bows out

Britain’s Home Secretary, Theresa May has emerged the country’s new Prime Minister (PM) and will assume office on Wednesday, as David Cameron in a shocking move, yesterday, announced that he will quit office on the same day.

On June 24, Cameron announced his decision to step down by October, after the UK voted to leave the European Union. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, he said “fresh leadership” was needed. The PM had urged the country to vote Remain but was defeated by 52 per cent to 48 per cent despite London, Scotland and Northern Ireland backing staying in.

Flanked by his wife Samantha, the PM had announced that he had informed the Queen of his decision to remain in place for the short term and to then hand over to a new prime minister by the time of the Conservative conference in October.

But in a rather unexpected move, Cameron announced his decision to quit later in the week, on Monday.

Speaking outside 10 Downing Street yesterday, Cameron said he would offer his resignation to the Queen on Wednesday afternoon at Buckingham Palace.

Cameron’s decision to quit came shortly after Mrs May’s only rival, Mrs Andrea Leadsom, abruptly pulled out of the race.

Mrs May and Mrs Leadsom were due to contest a ballot of around 150,000 Conservative party members, with the result to be declared by September 9. But Mrs Leadsom unexpectedly withdrew on Monday, removing the need for a nine-week leadership contest.

Mrs May will become Britain’s second female prime minister after Margaret Thatcher and among PMs to emerge without a general election.

As the new PM, she will now be saddled with the task of steering UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Britain’s planned withdrawal has weakened the 28-nation bloc, created huge uncertainty over trade and investment, and shaken financial markets.

Mrs May’s victory means that the complex process of extricating Britain from the EU will be led by someone who favoured a vote to remain in last month’s membership referendum. She has said Britain needs time to work out its negotiating strategy and should not initiate formal divorce proceedings before the end of the year, but has also emphasised that ‘Brexit means Brexit’.

Last Monday, Mrs May comfortably won the first round of the contest to become the next Conservative leader.

The leadership contest was sparked by David Cameron’s decision to step down as prime minister.

The process of choosing a successor – and the new prime minister – began last on Monday, and 329 of the 330 Conservative MPs took part in a secret ballot.

The result was later announced by Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs, with Mrs May securing a comfortable lead over her rivals. The results showed that Mrs May polled 165 or 50 per cent votes while energy minister Andrea Leadsom got 66 or 20 per cent, Justice Secretary Michael Gove, 48 or 15 per cent, Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, 34 or 10 per cent and former Defence Secretary Liam Fox, 16 or 5 per cent.

Fox, who came last was eliminated while Crabb, with 34 votes, decided to drop out.

The new prime minister, who had campaigned strongly for a Remain victory, said “fresh leadership” was required as the UK negotiates its exit from the European Union.

In a brief statement outside No 10 yesterday, Cameron said Mrs Leadsom had made “absolutely the right decision” to stand aside and that he was “delighted” Mrs May, the home secretary, was to succeed him.

He said a “prolonged period of transition” was not necessary, and added: “So tomorrow I will chair my last cabinet meeting. On Wednesday I will attend the House of Commons for Prime Minister’s Questions.

“After that I expect to go the Palace and offer my resignation.”

The prime minister described Mrs May as “strong” and “competent” and said she was “more than able to provide the leadership” the UK needs in the coming years.

“She will have my full support,” he added.

Cameron’s statement came after another day of dramatic developments in the political word, when Mrs Leadsom pulled out of the two-way leadership contest, leaving Mrs May – the front runner – as the only candidate to take over leading the party and become PM.

Mrs Leadsom said she did not have sufficient support among Conservative MPs to lead “a strong and stable government,” and gave her backing to the home secretary to succeed Cameron.

Mrs May had begun the day launching her leadership campaign to take to the party membership – and within the space of several hours found out she would be prime minister by Wednesday. Mrs May would now have to decide the make-up of her new cabinet.

According to the succession plan, after doing Prime Minister’s questions on Wednesday, Cameroon will officially tender his resignation to the Queen at Buckingham Palace and recommend she sends for Mrs May as his replacement. Mrs May will then go to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen and receive her invitation to form a government and should then be in place as UK prime minister by Wednesday evening.

As at yesterday, it remained unclear when the Cameron family would finally move out of No 10.

BREAKING: Cameron RESIGNS As British PM

UK Daily Mail: David Cameron resigned today after his devastating defeat in the EU referendum. 

The Prime Minister will stay in post into around October before a new Prime Minister is chosen to 'captain the ship' as the UK prepares for Brexit in a new dawn in its politics, he said.

Mr Cameron's voice broke as he spoke outside Downing Street this morning with his wife Samantha in tears next to him.

The Brexit campaign officially passed the winning post in the EU referendum at around 6am today, triggering a political earthquake and panic in the markets. 

Nigel Farage earlier declared it to be 'independence day' and a 'victory for real people' as the Leave campaign racked up votes across England and Wales - defying the verdict of London, Scotland and most of the big cities.

The Pound - which soared in value earlier after Nigel Farage admitted he thought Brexit had lost - has nose-dived against US dollar to its lowest level for 31 years. And more than £100billion was wiped off the FTSE 100 within minutes as markets opened on Friday as Britain's decision caused turmoil across global exchanges.

At Last UK Dumps European Union

The UK has voted by 52% to 48% to leave the European Union after 43 years in an historic referendum, a BBC forecast suggests.

London and Scotland voted strongly to stay in the EU but the remain vote has been undermined by poor results in the north of England.

Voters in Wales and the English shires have backed Brexit in large numbers.

The pound fell to its lowest level against the dollar since 1985 as the markets reacted to the results.

Referendum turnout was higher than at last year’s general election.

Labour’s Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the Bank of England may have to intervene to shore up the pound, which lost 3% within moments of the first result showing a strong result for Leave in Sunderland and fell as much as 6.5% against the euro.

‘Independence day’

UKIP leader Nigel Farage – who has campaigned for the past 20 years for Britain to leave the EU – told supporters “this will be a victory for ordinary people, for decent people”.

Mr Farage – who predicted a Remain win at the start of the night after polls suggested that would happen – said Thursday, 23 June would “go down in history as our independence day”.

He called on Prime Minister David Cameron, who called the referendum but campaigned passionately for a Remain vote, to quit “immediately”.

A Labour source said: “If we vote to leave, Cameron should seriously consider his position.”

But pro-Leave Conservatives including Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have signed a letter to Mr Cameron urging him to stay on whatever the result.

Labour former Europe Minister Keith Vaz told the BBC the British people had voted with their “emotions” and rejected the advice of experts who had warned about the economic impact of leaving the EU.

He added: “It will be catastrophic for our country, for the rest of Europe and for the rest of the world.”

Exit process

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that the EU vote “makes clear that the people of Scotland see their future as part of the European Union” after all 32 local authority areas returned majorities for Remain.

Britain would be the first country to leave the EU since its formation – but a leave vote will not immediately mean Britain ceases to be a member of the 28-nation bloc.

That process could take a minimum of two years, with Leave campaigners suggesting during the referendum campaign that it should not be completed until 2020 – the date of the next scheduled general election.

The prime minister will have to decide when to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which would give the UK two years to negotiate its withdrawal.

Once Article 50 has been triggered a country can not rejoin without the consent of all member states.

Mr Cameron has previously said he would trigger Article 50 as soon as possible after a leave vote but Boris Johnson and Michael Gove who led the campaign to get Britain out of the EU have said he should not rush into it.

But they also said they want to make immediate changes before the UK actually leaves the EU, such as curbing the power of EU judges and limiting the free movement of workers, potentially in breach the UK’s treaty obligations.

The government will also have to negotiate its future trading relationship with the EU and fix trade deals with non-EU countries.

In Whitehall and Westminster, there will now begin the massive task of unstitching the UK from more than 40 years of EU law, deciding which directives and regulations to keep, amend or ditch.

The Leave campaign argued during a bitter four-month referendum campaign that the only way Britain could “take back control” of its own affairs would be to leave the EU.

Leave dismissed warnings from economists and international bodies about the economic impact of Brexit as “scaremongering” by a self-serving elite.

BBC

Buhari's Latest London Trip Beneficial As US Returns N350 Stolen By Army Generals

Many have been criticizing President Muhammadu Buhari for too many oversea trips since he assumed the presidency barely a years ago, but those trips are not just for fluke or fun making. The last trip to the United Kingdom where he attended the anti-corruption summit has yielded a positive result at the United States government has vowed and prepared to return $350 million dollars stolen by some anonymous Nigerian army generals, report by Punch Newspaper suggests

As reported by our source, the United States government has reassured the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government that it would return at least $350m of stolen money from Nigeria.

US Secretary of State, John Kerry, made this pledge during the Anti-corruption Summit Plenary at Lancaster House London, United Kingdom.

He said, “This money goes somewhere, folks. When I read that tens of billions of dollars were stolen from President (Muhammadu) Buhari’s country by generals and put into other nations, some of it in our country – and we are now working to restore $350 million back, and there’s more to be restored to the people.

“And every one of those million dollars that comes back to a country is the opportunity to provide a desk and a chair and school and shelter and health care and meet the needs of nations. That is why we organise ourselves in the world around rule of law and in an effort to try to provide for our citizens,”

According to him, criminal activity is a destroyer of nation-states because it contributes to drug trafficking and arms smuggling.

Prior to the summit, a gaffe by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron has stirred a rife criticism, when he tagged Nigeria and Afganistan as 'Fantastically Corrupt Nations'. Many Nigerians pressured on the Mr. President to shun the UK summit over the comment. But Buhari, on the contrary, went for the summit. He even refused to demand an apology from Cameron, but rather asked for the repatriation of monies stolen by 'fantastically corrupt' Nigerians. The result of Buhari's wisdom is what we are seeing today

'Fantastically Corrupt: Angry British Lawmakers Summons Cameron, PM Apologizes To Nigeria, Admits Errors

Apparently feeling so uncomfortable with 'fantastically corrupt' comment credited to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron on Nigeria and Afganistan, the House of Commons, a report says have summoned the PM, querying the rationale.

The PM, in his reaction according to report admitted making many “unforced errors” in the last 24 hours.

Speaking when he appeared before the House of Commons, which summoned him over disparaging comments about Nigeria and Afghanistan, Cameron made a U-turn, saying both countries were making “remarkable steps forward” in their war against anti-corruption.

He said: “First of all, I had better check the microphone is on before speaking…  tips on diplomacy are useful, given the last 24 hours, I have made many unforced errors.

“The leaders of Nigeria and Afghanistan are battling hard against very corrupt systems and have made remarkable steps forward.”

Angus Robertson, Scottish National Party leader, was said to have asked Cameron if he had heard the complaints of some Nigerian anti-corruption activists, who said their efforts were “seriously undermined” by the UK authorities.

“The role of London’s property market to conceal stolen wealth has been exposed in court documents, reports, documentaries and more.

“What is the Prime Minister going to do about this?” Robertson reportedly asked.

In his response, Cameron was quoted as saying: “Action is necessary by developed countries, as well as developing countries, and the steps we are taking to make sure that foreign companies that own UK property have to declare who the beneficial owner is will be one of the ways we make sure that plundered money from African countries can’t be hidden in London.”

Cameron had come under fire since the video of a private conversation he had with the Queen, with Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in attendance, where he referred to Nigeria and Afghanistan as “fantastically corrupt countries,” a remark that did not go down well with Welby, who vouched for the integrity of the Nigerian leader, with whom he met yesterday at Lambert Palace, London.

British PM, Cameron Makes U-turn, Praises Nigeria’s Fight Against Corruption

ThisDay - British Prime Minister David Cameron wednesday attempted to reverse his unguarded remark about Nigeria and Afghanistan, two countries which on Tuesday, he, described as “fantastically corrupt”, when he was briefing Queen Elizabeth II on the ongoing anti-corruption summit being hosted by the United Kingdom.

While briefing Members of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons wednesday, the British PM said Nigeria and Afghanistan had taken “remarkable steps forward” on corruption, reported the BBC.

The PM said the countries’ leaders were “battling hard” to tackle the problem.

His attempt at a mea culpa came after Buhari, who arrived London on Tuesday evening for the summit, said Cameron’s gaffe was not reflective of his administration’s fight against corruption.

However, when asked yesterday by journalists at the pre-anti-corruption conference in London if Nigeria was “fantastically corrupt”, Buhari candidly replied, “Yes”, adding that corruption in Nigeria was endemic, but his government was committed to fighting it.

He went on to state that he was not going to demand an apology from Britain or Cameron, making it abundantly clear that he was more interested in the return of Nigeria’s assets held in British banks.

“I am not going to be demanding any apology from anybody. What I will be demanding is the return of assets. I have already mentioned how Britain led and how disgraceful one of Nigeria’s executives (former Bayelsa Governor, the late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha) was. He had to dress like a woman to leave Britain and left behind his bank account and fixed assets which Britain is not prepared to hand over to us.

“This is what I am asking for. What will I do with an apology? I need something tangible,” he said.

Also in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour wednesday, Buhari refused to be defensive over Cameron’s statement, saying: “Well he said what he knows about both countries. He did not say what he said to the press, it was a private conversation.”

In its reaction, the Afghan embassy in London said tackling corruption was one of President Ashraf Ghani’s top priorities and “bold” action had been taken.

“We have made important progress in fighting systematic corruption in major national procurement contracts and are making progress on addressing institutional issues as well as issues related to impunity… therefore calling Afghanistan in that way is unfair,” the embassy said.

According to the BBC, Cameron was asked about his comments on Nigeria and Afghanistan during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, where he jokingly checked if his microphone was working, refering to “tips on diplomacy” and said he had made “many unforced errors” in the past 24 hours.

Answering a question from Tory backbencher Philip Davies, who asked why UK aid was being given to countries that the PM sees as corrupt, in his reply, Cameron praised the action taken by Afghanistan and Nigeria and warned that cutting off aid could “come back to haunt us here”.

He also defended the action by his own government, including initiatives on overseas tax havens and measures to make sure “plundered money from African countries can’t be hidden in London”.

In the footage showing Cameron’s comments on Tuesday, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby intervened to say: “But this particular president is not corrupt… he’s trying very hard,” before Speaker John Bercow said: “They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?”

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the PM had been “merely stating a fact” in his comments, and ex-London mayor Boris Johnson said people would “find it refreshing he was speaking his mind”.

Downing Street said the presidents of Nigeria and Afghanistan had “acknowledged the scale of the corruption challenge they face in their countries”

.

But Labour MPs said a Tory government “hosting an anti-corruption summit was like putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop”.

“The government is refusing to take meaningful action to close Britain’s constellation of tax havens, which together constitute the largest financial secrecy network in the world,” said Shadow International Development Secretary Diane Abbott.

ThisDay

BOMBSHELL: Buhari Admits Nigeria Indeed 'Fantastically Corrupt' At UK Summit

Despite backlashes that heralded British Prime Minister's comment that Nigeria is 'Fantastically Corrupt', President Mohammadu has followed suit admitting that his country, Nigeria “is indeed fantastically corrupt,”

David Cameron had yesterday shared such as a joke with Queen Elizabeth 11 before television cameras. 

The president also stated that he would not demand any apology from Cameron from making the comment, saying that he was more interested in the repatriation of stolen assets by Nigerians stashed abroad including the United Kingdom, saying “I need something tangible”., Vanguard News says

Buhari is currently in London attending the global anti-corruption summit hosted by Cameron. 

President Buhari made the admittance to Sky News’ Diplomatic Editor, Dominic Waghorn in London. 

In the 29 seconds chat minutes monitored by our correspondent, Waghorn had pressed president Buhari to know whether Nigeria was “fantastically corrupt”, surprisingly, the president admitted. The chat went this way:

Reporter: Will you like an apology from the British Prime Minister?

Buhari: No no, not at all.

Reporter: Are you embarrassed by what he (Cameron) said?

Buhari: No, I am not.

Reporter: Is Nigeria fantastically corrupt?

Buhari: Yes.

Meanwhile, Buhari's spokesman Garba Shehu had yester night said Cameron's remark was not reflective of his boss' anti-corruption disposition, Daily Trust Says

Shehu had said that in making the remarks, the British Prime Minister must be looking at "an old snapshot of Nigeria."

The presidential aide had also said under Buhari's leadership, things were changing for better in Nigeria.

"It is certainly not reflective of the good work that the president is doing. The eyes of the world are on what is happening here. Things are changing with corruption and everything else. That, we believe is the reason they chose him as a keynote speaker at the pre-summit conference," Shehu had stated.

Tackling Corruption Together Conference: Full Text of Buhari's Keynote Address

The Conference tagged 'Tackling Corruption Together', which is ongoing in the United Kingdom. A Conference For Civil Society, Business And Government Leaders”, held at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Malborough House in London.

BELLOW IS PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI'S KEYNOTE ADDRESS DELIVERED EARLIER TODAY AT THE CONFERENCE:

Fellow Heads of State & Government, The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, the Rt. Honourable Patricia Scotland, QC, Business Leaders, Representatives of Civil Society Organizations, Your Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen.

I am delighted to be invited to this event to exchange views with you my fellow invited guests representing Governments, the Private Sector and Civil Society Organizations. I thank you Your Excellency, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, for asking me to speak at this gathering.

2. Corruption is a hydra-headed monster and a cankerworm that undermines the fabric of all societies. It does not differentiate between developed and developing countries. It constitutes a serious threat to good governance, rule of law, peace and security, as well as development programmes aimed at tackling poverty and economic backwardness. These considerations informed my decision to attend this event as well as the Anti-Corruption Summit organized by Prime Minister Rt. Hon. David Cameron that will be held tomorrow. I expect that today’s event would feed into the discussions that will be held tomorrow at Lancaster House.

3. In 2003, when the world came together to sign the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) that entered into force in 2005, it was with a view to tackling the growing threat that corruption had become to many nations. Little did we know that eleven years since then, the problem would still continue unabated, but even become more intractable and cancerous.

Excellencies,

4. Permit me to share with you our national experience in combating corruption. I intend to do this by placing the fight against corruption in Nigeria within the context of the three priority programmes of our Administration. On assumption of office on 29th May 2015, we identified as our main focus three key priority programmes. They are, combating insecurity, tackling corruption and job creation through re-structuring the declining national economy.

5. Our starting point as an Administration was to amply demonstrate zero tolerance for corrupt practices as this vice is largely responsible for the social and economic problems our country faces today. The endemic and systemic nature of corruption in our country demanded our strong resolve to fight it. We are demonstrating our commitment to this effort by bringing integrity to governance and showing leadership by example.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

6. Tackling the menace of corruption is not an easy task, but it is possible even if many feathers have to be ruffled. Our Government’s dogged commitment to tackling corruption is also evident in the freedom and support granted to national anti-corruption agencies to enable them to carry out their respective mandates without interference or hindrance from any quarter including the government.

7. Today, our frontline anti-corruption agencies, namely, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), have become revitalised and more proactive in the pursuit of perpetrators of corrupt practices, irrespective of their social status and political persuasion. This is a radical departure from the past.

8. We have implemented the Treasury Single Account (TSA) whereby all Federal government revenue goes into one account. This measure would make it impossible for public officers to divert public funds to private accounts as was the practice before. Through the effective application of TSA and the Bank Verification Number (BVN), we have been able to remove 23,000 ghost workers from our pay roll, thereby saving billions that would have been stolen.

9. We are also reviewing our anti-corruption laws and have developed a national anti-corruption strategy document that will guide our policies in the next three years, and possibly beyond.

10. I am not unaware of the challenges of fighting corruption in a manner consistent with respect for human rights and the rule of law. As a country that came out of prolonged military rule only sixteen years ago, it will clearly take time to change the mentality and psychology of law enforcement officers. I am committed to applying the rule of law and to respecting human rights. I also require our security agencies to do the same.

11. I admit that there are a few cases where apparently stringent rules have been applied as a result of threats to national security and the likelihood that certain persons may escape from the country or seek to undermine the stability of Nigeria. It is for this reason that we are seeking the support of many countries for the prosecution of certain individuals residing in their jurisdictions. Of course we will provide the necessary legal documents and whatever mutual assistance is required to secure conviction of such individuals, as well as facilitate the repatriation of our stolen assets.

12. Unfortunately, our experience has been that repatriation of corrupt proceeds is very tedious, time consuming, costly and entails more than just the signing of bilateral or multilateral agreements. This should not be the case as there are provisions in the appropriate United Nations Convention that require countries to return assets to countries from where it is proven that they were illegitimately acquired.

13. Further, we are favourably disposed to forging strategic partnerships with governments, civil society organizations, organized private sector and international organizations to combat corruption. Our sad national experience had been that domestic perpetrators of corrupt practices do often work hand-in-hand with international criminal cartels.

14. This evil practice is manifested in the plundering and stealing of public funds, which are then transferred abroad into secret accounts. I therefore, call for the establishment of an international anti-corruption infrastructure that will monitor, trace and facilitate the return of such assets to their countries of origin. It is important to stress that the repatriation of identified stolen funds should be done without delay or preconditions.

15. In addition to the looting of public funds, Nigeria is also confronted with illegal activities in the oil sector, the mainstay of our export economy. That this industry has been enmeshed in corruption with the participation of the staff of some of the oil companies is well established. Their participation enabled oil theft to take place on a massive scale.

16. Some of us in this hall may be familiar with the Report released by Chatham House, here in London, in 2013, titled “Nigeria’s Criminal Crude: International Options to Combat the Export of Stolen Oil.” The important findings of the Chatham House document are illuminating and troubling. Part of the Report concluded that:

a) Nigerian crude oil is being stolen on an industrial scale and exported, with the proceeds laundered through world financial centres by transnational organized criminals.

b) Oil theft is a species of organized crime that is almost totally off the international community’s radar, as Nigeria’s trade and diplomatic partners have taken no real action.

c) Nigeria could not stop the trade single-handedly, and there is limited value in countries going it alone.

17. It is clear therefore, that the menace of oil theft, put at over 150,000 barrels per day, is a criminal enterprise involving internal and external perpetrators. Illicit oil cargoes and their proceeds move across international borders. Opaque and murky as these illegal transactions may be, they are certainly traceable and can be acted upon, if all governments show the required political will. This will has been the missing link in the international efforts hitherto. Now in London, we can turn a new page by creating a multi-state and multi-stakeholder partnership to address this menace.

18. We, therefore, call on the international community to designate oil theft as an international crime similar to the trade in “blood diamonds”, as it constitutes an imminent and credible threat to the economy and stability of oil-producing countries like Nigeria. The critical stakeholders here present can lead the charge in this regard.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

19. By the end of our summit tomorrow, we should be able to agree on a rules-based architecture to combat corruption in all its forms and manifestations. I agree fully with the Commonwealth Secretary-General that anti-corruption is a shared agenda for civil society, business and government, requiring commitment from companies, creating a space for civil society and governments providing support for whistle-blowers.

20. A main component of this anti-corruption partnership is that governments must demonstrate unquestionable political will and commitment to the fight. The private sector must come clean and be transparent, and civil society, while keeping a watch on all stakeholders, must act and report with a sense of responsibility and objectivity.

21. For our part, Nigeria is committed to signing the Open Government Partnership initiatives alongside Prime Minister Cameron during the Summit tomorrow.

22. In conclusion, may I commend the Commonwealth Secretary-General and her team for hosting this important event. This is a very encouraging way to start your tenure. We wish you the very best as you guide the affairs of the Commonwealth family in the years to come.

23. I thank you.

'Fantastically Corrupt Comment: What I Will Do To David Cameron At UK Today - Buhari Opens Up

President Muhammadu Buhari seemingly unperturbed by devastating 'fantastically corrupt' comment attributed to the British prime Minister, David Cameron has said he would rather demand for the return of stolen Nigerian assets stashed in UK instead of apology from Cameron.

Speaking at the Commonwealth Tackling Corruption Together Conference in the UK this morning, President Buhari said:

"I am not going to demand any apology from the Prime Minister or anybody. What I am demanding is the return of our assets. I have already mentioned how Britain is revered and how disgraceful one of the Nigerian elects is...He had to dress like a woman to leave Britain and leave behind his bank account and fixed assets which Britain is prepared to hand over to us. This is what I am asking for. What will I do with apologies? I need something tangible (money)" Buhari said

Watch The Video of 'Fantastically Corrupt' Comment of David Cameron

In comments that were caught by a microphone during a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, the prime minister said Nigeria and Afghanistan were two of the most corrupt countries in the world. 

Speaking in front of the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, the House of Commons speaker, John Bercow, and the cabinet minister Chris Grayling, Cameron said: “We had a very successful cabinet meeting this morning. We talked about our anti-corruption summit. We’ve got … some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain. 

 “Nigeria and Afghanistan are possibly two of the most corrupt countries in the world.” The Queen did not respond to Cameron’s comment, turning her head away while he was speaking. However, Welby, who has worked in Nigeria, then said of that country’s leader: “But this particular president is actually not corrupt.”

   

Asked whether David Cameron regretted his comment, a Downing Street spokesman said: “Both leaders have been invited to the summit because they are driving the fight against corruption in their countries. The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with them as they do so.” 

 The spokesman declined to say whether the Nigerian or Afghan governments had contacted Downing Street following the prime minister’s remarks. He made clear that the PM was aware that he was being filmed at the time he spoke, telling reporters: 

“The cameras were very close to him. There were multiple cameras in the room.” 

 A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The royal household does not comment on private conversations between the prime minister and the Queen.”

British PM Bombs Buhari, Nigeria Ahead of UK Visit, You'll Be Shocked At What Said

PM News - President Muhammadu Buhari should read this before jumping on his presidential jet for the journey to London. He may shelve the trip and if he insists on going, he may not shake hands with Prime Minister, David Cameron.

His host, Cameron has demonstrated no iota of regard for him and his country Nigeria, dubbing it a ‘fantastically corrupt country’.

Cameron was caught on camera giving this description of Nigeria and Afghanistan when he met Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday.

He came to inform the Queen about heads of state coming to attend his anti-corruption summit, scheduled to hold in Lancaster House on Thursday.

The summit aimed at stepping up global action to combat corruption in all walks of life, without Britain itself shutting down British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, nests for corrupt and criminal gangs, where they stash stolen money, using shell companies to cover their trails.

In a pooled video feed made available to the ITN broadcaster, Cameron was shown talking with the queen about the summit.

“We had a very successful cabinet meeting this morning, talking about our anti-corruption summit,” Cameron said when the queen approached.

“We have got the Nigerians – actually we have got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain.”

Cameron went on: “Nigeria and Afghanistan – possibly two of the most corrupt countries in the world.”

The queen did not respond to Cameron’s comment.

But the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby defended Nigeria’s leader, Muhammadu Buhari: “But this particular president is actually not corrupt.”

Cameron appeared to be fixated with the old idea of a corrupt Nigeria in his brain as the two leaders he was ridiculing, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, and Buhari , acknowledge corruption in their countries and have pledged to clean it up.

Afghanistan is at number 166, second-from-bottom, in campaign group Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, an annual ranking of countries.

Only North Korea and Somalia, jointly ranked at number 167, are perceived to be more corrupt. Nigeria is at number 136 in the index.

It was not clear whether Cameron realised he was being filmed and recorded at the event at Buckingham Palace.

A bystander then joked to laughter: “They are coming at their own expense one assumes?”

“Everything has to be open,” Cameron said. “There are no sort of closed-door sessions. Everything has to be in front of the press. It’s going to be…It could be quite interesting.”

When asked about the comments, Downing Street did not immediately respond.