Fashola speaks on Tinubu’s alleged dual citizenship

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has said that the 1999 Constitution does not bar Nigerians with dual citizenship from becoming president of Nigeria.Information Guide Nigeria

This is Amid speculations that the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has a Guinean passport.

Speaking on Sunday Politics, a programme Channels TV, Mr Fashola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria said,

“I know he (Tinubu) carries a Nigerian passport. I don’t know about dual citizenship. I know he resided abroad when he went into exile.

“I don’t know if they gave him American citizenship. What does that have to do with the results of the election? The last time I checked, I think the Nigerian constitution allows you to have dual citizenship. Doesn’t it?”

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Tinubu’s critics believe dual citizenship bars him from the presidency based on section 137 of the constitution.NYSC Portal

Section 137 provides that (1) A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if –

(a) 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.”

Section 28, however, excludes citizens by birth from restriction by section 137.

It states that “(1) Subject to the other provisions of this section, a person shall forfeit forthwith his Nigerian citizenship if, not being a citizen of Nigeria by birth, he acquires or retains the citizenship or nationality of a country, other than Nigeria, of which he is not a citizen by birth.”

The president-elect is yet to speak on the controversy and is reportedly a close friend of the former President of Guinea, Alpha Condé.JAMB Result

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