The United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has defended the presence of its officials at the national convention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing such engagements as standard diplomatic practice.
The clarification follows reports that a delegation from the British High Commission attended the convention held in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to the ADC, the three-member delegation was led by the Political Secretary at the British High Commission, Thomas Samson, and included a Nigerian staff member, Damilola Oyedele.
The party also claimed that the Yu Dunhai attended the event.
However, the Chinese embassy in Nigeria denied the claim, stating that neither the ambassador nor any Chinese diplomat was present.
An embassy official further clarified that an Asian man identified at the event was unknown to the mission.
Responding to enquiries, a spokesperson for the FCDO explained that diplomatic missions regularly engage with a wide range of political and civic actors, including political parties.
“Officials from the British High Commission, like other international missions, are invited to and routinely attend a range of events and meetings, including those hosted by political parties,” the spokesperson told Premium Times.
“Attendance of these events reflects the UK Government’s commitment to and engagement with the democratic process in Nigeria.”
The UK, however, did not explicitly confirm or deny the presence of its representatives at the ADC event.
The FCDO noted that the UK continues to support credible, inclusive, and peaceful elections in Nigeria through cooperation aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and electoral processes.
While diplomatic missions often maintain contact with multiple political stakeholders, including opposition parties, attendance at party conventions is less common, particularly when officials are publicly introduced during such events.
The ADC, which is positioning itself as a major opposition platform ahead of the 2027 elections, has recently attracted several high-profile political figures from across party lines.