I Do Not Believe Law Disqualifies Dual Citizens, Fashola Defends Tinubu’s Victory Despite Claims Regarding a Guinean Passport

The constitutional limitations on a presidential candidate with dual citizenship from running for office have drawn criticism from Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing.

Given that pictures of what appeared to be a Guinean passport with Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, as its bearer were extensively circulated online over the weekend, the former governor of Lagos State offered his opinion.

Internet users were outraged by the claims that Tinubu was allegedly a citizen of both Nigeria and Guinea, particularly those who were against his election as the winner of the February 25 poll.
During his live appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Fashola, a former chief of staff to Tinubu, remarked, “I know he carries a Nigerian passport; I don’t know about dual citizenship.”

“I am aware that when he went into exile, he lived abroad. I’m not sure if they granted him citizenship there. What connection does that have to the election results? I believe the constitution of Nigeria allows for dual citizenship as of the most recent time I looked.”

The Senior Advocate Nigeria (SAN), when asked if the quoted clauses apply to presidential candidates, said he would need to review the constitution to determine the nuances of its provision on the subject.

“I’ll investigate. If you were born to Nigerian parents, it is ‘place of birth’ o. I’ll verify it, but I suspect that because the constitution of Nigeria permits dual citizenship, having it makes you ineligible for certain rights,” he continued.