A candidate contesting for a local council seat under the Reform UK party is facing criticism after revelations that he operates a business helping Nigerian students obtain study visas for the United Kingdom — despite his party’s leader, Nigel Farage, demanding a sharp cut in foreign student admissions.
Christopher Adegoke, who is running for the Hucknall West ward in Nottinghamshire County Council’s election scheduled for 1 May, serves as a director at KOT Educational Services & Tours Ltd.
The Nigeria-based firm, which also maintains an office in Nottingham, provides placement and visa support services to international students aiming to study in the UK, according to MailOnline.
The company’s website states that it offers “visa counselling and support” to assist students in acquiring study visas. Adegoke is also listed as a certified counsellor on the British Council’s official platform, promoting UK universities to prospective international students.
Adegoke’s business activities appear to contradict the public position of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who has often criticized the rising influx of foreign students, accusing British universities of being “drunk on foreign money” and urging for a sharp reduction in sponsored study visas.
His candidacy has also raised broader concerns about Reform UK’s selection process. In 2022, Adegoke shared social media content advocating for reparations for African nations due to slavery — a stance Reform UK leaders have previously dismissed as “ridiculous.”
In a Facebook campaign video, Adegoke defended his background and his ties to Reform UK. He explained that he has lived in Nottinghamshire since 2010 and originally entered the UK as a business migrant.
“I grew up in Africa, where I co-founded a children’s initiative that later evolved into an education placement agency in 1998,” he said. “We have placed legitimate international students into UK institutions, contributing £10 million in tuition fees and £3.5 million in living expenses to the British economy.”
Addressing the controversy, he added: “Let me be clear: Reform UK is not against legal migration. Our opposition is firmly directed at illegal migration.”
Adegoke further noted that he successfully passed the party’s candidate vetting process.
Responding to criticism, a Reform UK spokesperson deflected attention toward the Conservative Party, blaming it for the UK’s immigration challenges: “The Conservatives opened the borders and allowed mass immigration. The public can trust only Reform UK to freeze immigration and stop illegal crossings.”
However, a Conservative source questioned Reform UK’s vetting credibility, telling MailOnline: “Nigel Farage claimed their candidate selection would be rigorous. Either that was untrue, or Reform UK is quietly shifting its stance on migration.”
