A former minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation (AGF), Michael Aondoakaa has submitted that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu didn’t contradict any law or procedure in contesting for Nigeria’s presidency despite having dual citizenship.
Aondoakaa stated that once a person is first Nigerian by birth such a person can’t be disqualified from contesting elections even if he/she obtains a second citizenship by naturalization or registration.
Speaking during an interview on Tuesday with Arise TV, the former AGF said dual citizenship can only disqualify “a person who obtains such status by naturalization or registration”.
OsunDaily News recalls there were issues raised concerning Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu regarding reports that he allegedly obtained citizenship of Guinea, a country in West Africa.
Some sections of the people argued that having dual citizenship bars Tinubu from contesting elections in the country as his total allegiance to Nigeria is not guaranteed.
Citing section 137 (1)(a) of the 1999 constitution that says: “A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if — subject to the provisions of section 28 of this Constitution, he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria or, except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, he has made a declaration of allegiance to such other country,” the antagonists said Tinubu 2023 presidential election victory should be nullified.
However, speaking on the matter on Tuesday, Aondoakaa said the only thing that can make such an argument hold water is if the complainants establish that Tinubu was not a Nigerian by birth before obtaining dual citizenship.
“But assuming it was in the petition, the position of the law is that a person who has dual citizenship by naturalization or registration cannot contest for president in Nigeria,” the former AGF said.
“But a person who is born in Nigeria, and acquired citizenship in another country, has the right to contest an election. It would be strange to say that the winner of the election, Tinubu, has the citizenship of another country. You must prove first that he is not a Nigerian by birth. That is the first challenge and if you can prove that. Then you can bring up the issue of acquiring another citizenship.”
