Sanwo-Olu’s Deputy Allegedly Swore In the US To Renounce Nigerian Citizenship
Obafemi Hamzat, the deputy governor of Lagos, allegedly swore an oath of allegiance in the United States to renounce his Nigerian citizenship, according to Olubusayo Fasidi, a U.S. immigration lawyer.
Nigerian Mr. Fasidi testified before the Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal on Thursday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
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Olumide Ayeni (SAN), the petitioner’s counsel, and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party introduced her as a witness.
The witness testified before the tribunal that Mr. Hamzat, the third respondent to the petition, likewise submitted Forms 8CFR/337 and N400 requesting naturalization.
Mr. Ayeni tendered the documents to the three-member tribunal. However, counsel to all the respondents objected, saying the reason for their objection would be included in their final written addresses.
During cross-examination by Eric Ogiegor, counsel to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the witness said an individual could enjoy dual citizenship.
She, however, said she was not aware of the provision of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution that dealt with dual citizenship.
She said that she was subpoenaed before the tribunal to explain U.S. law and not Nigeria’s Constitution.
But when Bode Olanipekun (SAN), counsel to Mr. Hamzat and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, asked the witness to disclose the jurisdiction and date Mr. Hamzat applied for naturalization, she said she would not because the information was protected by the Privacy Act of 1974.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) counsel, Norris Quakers, asked the witness if she was aware that Mr. Hamzat disclosed his American citizenship.
The witness replied in the affirmative, and Mr. Quakers, after that, argued that the witness addressed issues of law and not those of facts.
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The tribunal, led by Justice Arum Ashom, while admitting all the documents in evidence, ordered counsel to the respondents to include their objections in their final written addresses.
The other members of the tribunal are Justice Mikail Abdullahi and Justice L. P. Braimoh.
The tribunal adjourned the case until June 26 to continue the hearing.
Earlier, Mr Ayeni presented a result sheet from polling units in nine local government areas of the state to establish differences in some areas against what is recorded on INEC’s Form EC 40A.
Counsel to INEC, Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat, and APC objected to the admissibility of Form EC 40A, reserving reasons until their final written addresses.