Video clips reveals David Cameron labelling "Nigerian leaders as fantastically corrupt" !

Ahead of International Anti-Corruption Summit in London the British Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron calls Nigeria and Afghanistan 'fantastically corrupt

 

Just few hours before the kick of the summit David Cameron has described Nigeria and Afghanistan as "fantastically corrupt" in a conversation with the Queen.

The PM was talking about the forthcoming anti-corruption summit when he made the comments.

It was not clear whether he knew the comments were being recorded.

"We've got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain... Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world," Mr Cameron said.

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?"

David Cameron has been caught on microphone making a diplomatic gaffe during an exchange with the Queen.

Speaking ahead of an anti-corruption summit coming up tomorrow  Wednesday and Thursday the Prime Minister calls Afghanistan and Nigeria "fantastically corrupt" as he describes who will be attending.

Mr Cameron is seemingly unaware his conversation with the Queen in front of the Archbishop of Canterbury, House of Commons Speaker John Bercow and Leader of the House of Commons is being caught on microphone.

The Prime Minister tells the Queen: "We had a very successful Cabinet meeting this morning, talking about our anti-corruption summit.

"We have got the Nigerians - actually we have got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain."



He continued: "Nigeria and Afghanistan - possibly two of the most corrupt countries in the world."

The Archbishop then attempts to rescue the situation by saying: "But this particular president is actually not corrupt."
After his comments, Mr Bercow jokes: "They are coming at their own expense one assumes?"

To which Mr Cameron responds: "Everything has to be open. 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."

The summit, which Mr Cameron has cited in response to anger following revelations over off-shore accounts contained in the Panama leaks, is due to take place on Thursday.
Both Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari are airborne simultaneously on their way to attend the summit at the time of this gate.

Mr Buhari is expected to give a keynote speech in London on Wednesday ahead of the opening of the summit.

Afghanistan is second from bottom in the campaign group Transparency International's latest Corruption Perceptions Index, while Nigeria is 136th out of 168 countries.


It is not the first time the Prime Minister has been caught making embarrassing comments while on microphone.

He was recorded in 2014 telling the media tycoon Michael Bloomberg that the Queen had "purred" in pleasure at the result of the referendum on Scottish independence.

He apologised to the Queen in person and said he was "very embarrassed" and "extremely sorry" about the episode.

He was also caught complaining on microphone that Prime Minister's Questions was too long and poking fun at people from Yorkshire.

The government will host world and business leaders at the summit on Thursday in London, aiming to "galvanise a global response to tackle corruption".

Afghanistan was ranked behind just Somalia and North Korea in Transparency International's 2015 corruption perception index.

Live Streaming: Buhari demands dismantling of safe haven of corruption proceeds at London's International Anti-Corruption Summit.

SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH PRESIDENT MUHAMMAD BUHARI REACTING TO the gaffe made by his host, the British Prime minister, David Cameron.

PMB to UK: "Am not going to demand any apology. All I'll demand is return of assets. What would I do with apology? I need something tangible".

"Nigeria is committed to signing the Open Government Partnership Initiatives alongside PM Cameron during the Summit tomorrow". -PMB

"I call for establishment of an anti-corruption infrastructure that will trace and return stolen assets to their countries of origin."
 Watch the event live here:  Buhari demands dismantling of safe haven of corruption proceeds, London's Anti-Corruption Summit https://t.co/ATHL2xEhCo 

 President Muhammadu Buhari arrived London on the evening of Tuesday leading a delegation to attend International Anti-Corruption Summit coming up between Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th,  May 2016.

According to the statement from State House Abuja made available on Saturday to Acting President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Europe Chapter, Prince Lashley Oladigbolu, the  delegation to the Summit will include Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Barrister Abubakar Malami, and Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Mallam Ibrahim Magu.

President Muhammadu Buhari will be speaking at the opening session of the summit and meeting with the World Bank President, Mr Jim Kim as well as the British Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron who is also the Convener and Chief Host of the International Anti-Corruption Summit.

The statement indicated that President Buhari will use the multi-national Summit on Anti-Corruption to vigorously explore the avenue for a speedy repartration of Nigerian funds being stollen and kept in other countries and further seek a more inter-governance monitoring and smooth cooperation among countries to tackle corruption. 

"In London will press for speedier dismantling of safe havens for proceeds of corruption and return of stolen funds to their countries of origin", the statement avvered.


NUJ Europe now brings you the Live stream of the event on this page as shown below:

Ahead of the summit's opening, President Buhari will deliver a keynote address titled "Why We Must Tackle Corruption Together" at a pre-summit conference of development partners, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Transparency International and other civil society groups on Wednesday.

President Muhammadu Buhari with the delagation is expected to arrive London on Tuesday May 10 and return to Abuja on Friday May 13, 2016.

Lashley Oladigbolu, Acting President of NUJ Europe Chapter and accredited Journalist of the World Bank Online Briefing Centre, writes from London.

Read latest more about Anti-Corruption news below:

• Buhari Is Fully Committed To The Anti-Corruption War -APC
• Breaking: Presidency says David Cameron's comments 'embarrassing'
• Video clips reveals David Cameron labelling "Nigerian leaders fantastically corrupt"
• OPINION: Buhari blessing and burden of corruption by Colins Nweke