Speaking with Sunday PUNCH on Friday, the APC candidate for the Okitipupa/Irele House of Representatives poll, Albert Akintoye, said INEC had given him the certificate of return.
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Akintoye, however, noted that Gboluga had approached the Court of Appeal in Akure to overule the tribunal.
He stated there was nothing wrong with a Nigerian holding dual citizenship but argued that the moment a Nigerian swears an oath of allegiance to another country, he ought not to hold any public office.
The lawmaker said Section 66 of the constitution had stated categorically that swearing an oath of allegiance to another country disqualifies one from holding a legislative office.
He said he was aware that many lawmakers also had dual citizenship but said not all of them would have sworn an oath of allegiance
Akintoye said doing so was grounds for disqualification, hence the decision of INEC to put such questions in its forms.
He said, “There are many people that hold dual citizenship. It is allowed and if there are many of them in the House, nobody has put it in writing.
“There is a form that you fill: have you taken an oath of allegiance in another country? What most people fill is ‘no’ but in the column, he (Gboluga) put yes.
“They also ask you: what country? He said ‘the United Kingdom’ and the document is with me; I took it to court. If it is in Nigeria that you hold dual citizenship, good. But let any Nigerian that wants to contest confess that he has taken an oath of allegiance in Nigeria; they will disqualify him.”
The lawmaker said he would not be intimidated by the fact that Gboluga had hired legal juggernauts like a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) ,and other senior lawyers.
He said he was hopeful that the Appellate court would not be intimidated and do the right thing.
When contacted, Gboluga said the matter had already come up for hearing at the Appellate court and judgement would be delivered soon.
He, however, refused to comment further, saying, “I don’t know you personally and I don’t feel comfortable talking to you.”
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