Former Senator Dino Melaye has publicly shared an open letter addressed to King Charles III, calling for the cancellation or postponement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's upcoming state visit to the United Kingdom scheduled for March 18-19, 2026.
The letter, presented as written by Kio Amachree, a Nigerian political scientist with deep family ties to Nigeria's constitutional history was posted by Melaye on his verified social media accounts, including Instagram.
Amachree describes himself as the grandson of Chief Sekin Amachree, a prominent Kalabari leader, and son of Chief Godfrey Kio JaJa Amachree, QC, Nigeria's first Solicitor-General and Africa's first Under-Secretary-General at the United Nations.
Amachree highlights his personal connections to the UK, including his education at Eton College (1970-1975) and a longstanding friendship with Sir Nicholas Coleridge, the current Provost of Eton College and a figure in Britain's establishment.
In the letter, Amachree respectfully but urgently requests that the King cancel or postpone any state visit, formal invitation, or ceremonial reception for President Tinubu.
He argues the visit would be inappropriate given Nigeria's current challenges.
Key reasons outlined include:National instability Citing ongoing terrorism, insurgency, kidnappings, banditry, economic hardship, inflation, and ethnic tensions that he says bring Nigeria close to "national fracture." Hosting the visit would amount to "denial" rather than diplomacy.
Questions over Tinubu's legitimacy- Allegations of corruption, doubts about his financial and academic records, and perceptions that Nigeria is governed by a "political cartel" rather than democratic leadership. A royal reception would lend undue credibility.
Threats to democracy — Fears of electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 elections, with the visit seen as Britain endorsing potential fraud and indifference to democratic erosion.
Moral optics — Amid widespread suffering from hunger, unemployment, insecurity, and violence, a lavish UK reception would insult ordinary Nigerians and fuel public anger.
Avoiding propaganda — Warning that the Crown should not be used for political endorsement by Tinubu's government.
The state visit, the first by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years, was announced by Buckingham Palace in early February 2026.
President Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu accepted the invitation to be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
Melaye's amplification of the letter comes amid ongoing political tensions in Nigeria, where opposition figures have criticized Tinubu's administration on governance, economy, and security issues.
No immediate response has been reported from Buckingham Palace, the Nigerian government, or the UK mission in Nigeria regarding the letter.
The proposed visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties, building on historical relations and recent engagements.
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