Spokesman of Atiku campaign council in the just concluded presidential election, Timi Frank has scolded the outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, for asking Nigerians to be proud of the presidential election that was marred with irregularities.

Laing was recently quoted in media reports to have called on Nigerians to be proud of the February 25 presidential election despite observed flaws.

In a reaction today, Mr Frank said Laing and officials like her were among those who encouraged corruption in Nigeria by helping corrupt elements to warehouse their ill-gotten wealth in the UK to the benefit of the UK’s economy.

“Nigerians have been robbed and you are telling us to be proud. The outcome of the election continues to make Nigerians bitter and angry because their mandate was stolen.. What aspects of the election does she wants Nigerians to be proud of?

“It appears that Laing is unaware that most local and international election observers including her counterpart in the U.S. and even Chatham House (a UK body) identified massive irregularities during the elections and faulted INEC,” Frank said in a statement.

Frank’s Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate Atiku Abubakar are challenging the process and outcome of the presidential poll that saw the Independent National Electoral Commission declaring Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress as winner of the election.

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The UK Commission in Nigeria had admitted that INEC did not adhere to the Electoral Act 2022 and its own guidelines during the conduct of the elections. Yet she asks Nigerians to be proud of what Frank called a sham.

“A US Senator has called on the American President not to congratulate the President-elect because of the highly compromised election process. Yet she says Nigerians should be proud.

“We dare say that it is because of appointees like Laing that UK has not been getting real facts about the true situation in Nigeria.

“Her comment during the visit to Lawan is a complete diplomatic fiasco bordering on total deviation from her brief as a diplomat.

“We call on her to immediately apologize to Nigerians over the highly unprofessional, undiplomatic and unfortunate remarks credited to her in the media,” Frank said.