Lagos Deputy Gov, Hamzat, renounced his Nigerian citizenship, says U.S.-based immigration lawyer

GUARDIAN

A United States (U.S.)-based Immigration lawyer, Olubusayo Fasidi, yesterday, said that Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, took oath of allegiance in America to renounce his Nigerian citizenship.

Fasidi, who was subpoenaed, disclosed this at the Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal when she was led-in-evidence by Dr. Olumide Ayeni, counsel to Labour Party (LP) candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who filed petition before the tribunal.

In her testimony, she said that Hamzat, the third respondent in the petition, applied for naturalisation as contained in Forms 8CFR/337 and 400.

The counsel sought to tender the documents before the three-man panel, headed by Justice Arum Ashom, but counsel to all the respondents vehemently opposed it.

They submitted that reasons for their objection would be included in their final written addresses. However, when the witness was cross-examined by counsel to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Eric Ogiegor, she said an individual could enjoy dual citizenship.

She said she was not aware of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) that dealt with dual citizenship, but only called to explain U.S. law and not Nigeria’s Constitution.

However, counsel to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Bode Olanipekun (SAN), asked the witness to disclose the jurisdiction and the date Hamzat applied for naturalisation but she said she would not, as the information is protected by the U.S. Privacy Act of 1974.

Also, the All Progressives Congress (APC) counsel, Norris Quakers (SAN), asked the witness if she was aware that Hamzat disclosed his American citizenship.

The witness replied in the affirmative, and Quakers thereafter urged her to address issues of law and not those of facts. Justice Ashom, while admitting all the documents in evidence, ordered counsel to the respondents to include their objections in their final written addresses and subsequently adjourned further hearing to June 26, 2023.

Earlier, during proceedings, Ayeni presented result sheet from polling units in nine local councils of the state to establish differences in some areas against what is recorded on INEC’s Form EC 40A.

But counsel to INEC, Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat and APC objected to the admissibility of the form, reserving reasons until their final written addresses.

This article originally appeared on The Guardian