APC Governorship Candidate Accused of Making Oath of Allegiance to US
- ADC governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour raised fresh questions about APC's Obafemi Hamzat's eligibility to contest the Lagos governorship election
- Rhodes-Vivour said his legal team challenged Hamzat's candidacy over testimony that Hamzat applied for US naturalisation and swore an oath of allegiance to America
- An immigration lawyer testified before the Lagos election tribunal in 2023 that Hamzat had gone through the US naturalisation process
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Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, has said Obafemi Hamzat, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and incumbent deputy governor, should have been barred from the Lagos governorship race because of an alleged oath of allegiance he swore to the United States.
Rhodes-Vivour made the argument on Tuesday during an appearance on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, where he also questioned the integrity of the 2023 governorship election in Lagos.
Source: Twitter
The allegation against Hamzat
The Cable reported that the eligibility question stems from testimony given in 2023 before the Lagos State governorship election petition tribunal, where Olubusayo Fasidi, an immigration lawyer, said Hamzat had applied for US naturalisation and taken an oath of allegiance to the country. Fasidi clarified that she was invited specifically to explain US immigration law and was not conversant with Nigeria's constitutional provisions on dual citizenship.
Rhodes-Vivour said his legal team relied on Fasidi's testimony as part of their challenge to Hamzat's eligibility to stand for election. He argued that anyone holding or seeking public office in Nigeria must not simultaneously pledge loyalty to another country, and that Hamzat could have renounced the alleged US allegiance before entering the race, in the same way former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson renounced his American citizenship before continuing in public life.
Rhodes-Vivour also pointed to his own background to illustrate his position, saying he had lived and studied abroad and had the option of acquiring citizenship in France, the United Kingdom or the United States but consciously chose not to. He said Nigerians deserve leaders whose loyalty to the country is undivided.
2023 election also under fire
Beyond the citizenship question, Rhodes-Vivour repeated earlier criticisms of the 2023 Lagos governorship election, alleging that the poll was undermined by violence and voter intimidation. He did not provide new evidence for the claims during the television appearance but maintained that the process fell short of acceptable democratic standards.
Hamzat served as deputy governor under Babajide Sanwo-Olu and has since secured the backing of President Bola Tinubu for the upcoming Lagos governorship election.
Source: Twitter
Lagos deputy governor speaks on constitutional review
Legit.ng earlier reported that Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat said constitutional barriers make it nearly impossible for Nigeria to return to regionalism.
Hamzat spoke at a centennial birthday lecture in Lagos held in honour of Afenifere leader Reuben Fasoranti, who turned 100.
The APC governorship candidate proposed a different path for South-West development involving joint budget planning among governors.
Source: Legit.ng
