Denial of Visa to CPC’s Tony Momoh : High Commission makes  U-turn? By Chuks Ehirim  Newsdiaryonline Sat 02,2011

There were hints on Friday evening that the British High Commission in Nigeria  might have rescinded its decision to deny UK  visa to National Chairman of CPC ,Prince Tony Momoh. This reporter  learnt that he may have been told to report to the High Commission next week possibly to sort out the visa difficulties.Unconfirmed reports said Momoh has been asked to come and pick up his Visa on Monday.This follows the hoopla over the inexplicable denial of the CPC National Chairman  a visa for him to travel to the UK.

This refusal earlier led  insinuations in some quaters within Nigeria, that the Government of the United Kingdom has joined in the persecution of a major opposition party in the country, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).  Some highly placed leaders of the party complained to this reporter that since after the April general elections in the country, the Nigerian Government has engaged in silent persecution of leaders of the CPC. The party leaders who did not want to be qouted, complained that part of the secret persecution they and their party are facing in the hand of the Peoples Democratic Party[PDP]-led Government,include the sponsorship of some persons to run them and the party down in the media  

''This PDP government has made it a priority to recruit political loafers and jobbers to be running CPC and its leaders down in the media. They have paid huge some of public funds to these miscreants to be propagating all kinds of falsehood against the party, with the sole aim of giving us bad name and image.Our only crime is that we have refused to joined them in their so called Government of National Unity[GNU],which is just another name for looting'', said one of the CPC leaders.  

Another one who hails from the South-East, complained that the Nigerian Government has externalised its war against CPC,by recriuting the Government of the UK to join in the persecution against the party's leading members.''We don't need any prophet to tell us that the recent vindictive visa policy of the UK Government against our National Chairman, was influenced by the Federal Government of Nigeria. We are also not unaware of the fact that very soon, other Nigerians will be given the same treatment by Britain on the bases of their relationship with CPC'' .

    It could be recalled that the party's National leadership had reacted, condemning the treatment metted out on its National Chairman,Prince Tony Momoh,by the Government of Great Britain, by denning him visa to visit the country.  In a press statement,the party's National Publicity Secretary, Engr. Rotimi Fashaki, said that ''the Congress for Progressive Change[CPC]hereby brings to the attention  of the Nigerian public the fact of the refusal of entry visa to the National

Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh. Indeed, the CPC National Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh, had applied for an entry visa to the UK to attend a family ceremony''.

 The statement added that ''Ordinarily, denial or acceptance of visa application is strictly the discretion of the issuing Country, however, it is bewildering when the decision is largely based, not on the weight of the evidence supplied, but on some other clandestine criteria.  In the document of refusal, the British High Commission stated inter-alia: “You have not provided any evidence that your sponsor is able to accommodate you as you claim. You have failed to provide any evidence that there is adequate room for you, nor have you shown whether your sponsor is financially responsible for anyone else.”

  ''Though the evidence presented showed that a British Citizen, who works with a British bank and owns a 5-bedroom apartment, stated his consanguinity with Prince Momoh as his nephew, coupled with the attached Bank statement; yet all these were discountenanced''.

''As part of the uninspiring reasons for the refusal, the UK High Commission further stated: “I am not satisfied you are satisfactorily established in this country or have demonstrated strong ties to it. Nor can I be satisfied that you intend to leave the UK at the end of the period as stated by you and as required by paragraph 41(ii) of HC395.”

 ''The hubris of this assertion is seen in referring to a septuagenarian who is the National Chairman of a National Party and a former Minister of the Federal republic of Nigeria as not having demonstrated strong ties to the country as to desire to return after a visit to Britain, which, inexorably, stretches credulity to intolerable limit.

We are convinced that this decision is ostensibly based on the stated reasons but the real reasons shall remain unknown. We are not unaware of the immense pressure that the Powers that hold sway within the political firmament, place on everyone (diplomatic missions inclusive) within the Nation space; but it is our considered belief that fairness should be the predication of every policy implementation''.  ''Though our dear Prince Tony Momoh does not intend to appeal this infernal decision, we want to use this medium to implore all the diplomatic missions in the Nation to remain apolitical and untainted in these perilous political times''. 

The CPC Statement below:   

UK denies CPC  National Chairman entry visa.

The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) hereby brings to the attention of the Nigerian public the fact of the refusal of entry visa to the National Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh.

Indeed, the CPC National Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh, had applied for an entry visa to the UK to attend a family ceremony.

Ordinarily, denial or acceptance of visa application is strictly the discretion of the issuing Country, however, it is bewildering when the decision is largely based, not on the weight of the evidence supplied, but on some other clandestine criteria.

In the document of refusal, the British High Commission stated inter-alia: “You have not provided any evidence that your sponsor is able to accommodate you as you claim. You have failed to provide any evidence that there is adequate room for you, nor have you shown whether your sponsor is financially responsible for anyone else.”  Though the evidence presented showed that a British Citizen, who works with a British bank and owns a 5-bedroom apartment, stated his consanguinity with Prince Momoh as his nephew coupled with the attached Bank statement; yet all these were discountenanced.

As part of the uninspiring reasons for the refusal, the UK High Commission further stated: “I am not satisfied you are satisfactorily established in this country or have demonstrated strong ties to it. Nor can I be satisfied that you intend to leave the UK at the end of the period as stated by you and as required by paragraph 41(ii) of HC395.” The hubris of this assertion is seen in referring to a septuagenarian who is the National Chairman of a National Party and a former Minister of the Federal republic of Nigeria as not having demonstrated strong ties to the country as to desire to return after a visit to Britain, which, inexorably, stretches credulity to intolerable limit.

We are convinced that this decision is ostensibly based on the stated reasons but the real reasons shall remain unknown. We are not unaware of the immense pressure that the Powers that hold sway within the political firmament, place on everyone (diplomatic missions inclusive) within the Nation space; but it is our considered belief that fairness should be the predication of every policy implementation.

Though our dear Prince Tony Momoh does not intend to appeal this infernal decision, we want to use this medium to implore all the diplomatic missions in the Nation to remain apolitical and untainted in these perilous political times. 

Rotimi Fashakin. (Engr.)

National Publicity Secretary.

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