Amid speculations that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has a Guinean passport, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, says the 1999 Constitution does not bar Nigerians with dual citizenship from becoming president of Nigeria.
Fashola spoke on the allegation of dual citizenship levelled against Tinubu in an interview with Channels Television during the Sunday Politics programme.
Speaking on the allegation, Fashola who himself is a former governor of Lagos State just like Tinubu said he was not aware whether Nigeria’s president-elect has dual citizenship.
“I know he carries a Nigerian passport,” Fashola said.
“I don’t know about dual citizenship. I know he resided abroad when he went into exile,” he added.
“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?,” Fashola asked.
According to Section 137 (1)(a) of the 1999 constitution, “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.”
According to the information, the former Lagos State Governor acquired the passport of the Guinea Republic in 2015.
Tinubu’s INEC Form reportedly shows that the president-elect denied obtaining citizenship of any other country apart from Nigeria.
Tinubu is currently in court at the presidential election petitions tribunal to defend his declaration as President-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
