Dual citizenship: Senate President not losing sleep over dual citizenship —Associates

…Gbajabiamila, other decline comments

An associate of the President of the Senate said Lawan was not scared of losing his seat over his dual citizenship status.

He also said nobody had taken him to court over the issue.

The associate, who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said the Senate President had never feared a possible litigation over the issue.

The source said, “We are not involved in any case that has to do with dual citizenship. Anyone planning such against us now will fail.

“The President of the Senate is a Nigerian. He has always been a citizen of this country. So, I don’t know why anybody will come now and prove otherwise.”

Meanwhile, another associate of Lawan said, “Who told you that the Senate President has a dual citizenship status and that he actually filled in that information in his records with the INEC?

“I have no idea of the Senate President filling in dual citizenship in his forms at the INEC. Our constitution is very clear on the issue of dual citizenship. INEC didn’t make it an issue.

“I am sure no tribunal would have asked any Nigerian with another country’s passport not to contest an election. I am familiar with the Electoral Act and the constitution. At the time we are trying to enjoin more Nigerians resident abroad to come home and be part of nation-building, do you think INEC would be discouraging Nigerians with dual citizenship from participating in the electoral process?

“I am sure the Ondo State tribunal verdict was not delivered purely on the issue of dual citizenship. It could form part of the verdict but it would definitely not be the major consideration for annulling the lawmaker’s election.”

Attempts to speak directly with Lawan, through his official spokesperson, Mr Ola Awoniyi, were not successful. Phone calls and messages sent to him via WhatsApp had yet to be responded to as of the time of filing this report despite indications that he read them.

Gbajabiamila, who was said to have remained in Saudi Arabia where he went on Hajj, also declined to speak on his citizenship status.

When contacted through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Lanre Lasisi, he simply said, “We have no comment.”

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Bamidele, did not also respond to enquiries sent to him on the issue.

Similarly, senators Folarin and Bomai, did not respond to questions put across to them on the issue.

Neither of them responded to the calls and text messages sent to their mobile phones as of the time of filing this report.