U.S. immigration lawyer, Olubusayo Fasidi, has testified before the Lagos State Election Petition Tribunal that Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat renounced his Nigerian citizenship and took an oath of allegiance in the United States. Fasidi, a Nigerian, provided evidence to the tribunal on Thursday, as part of a petition filed by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Fasidi shared details of Hamzat’s application for naturalization, as indicated in Forms 8CFR/337 and N400. However, lawyers representing the respondents objected to the submission of these documents, stating that reasons for their objections would be included in their final written addresses.
During cross-examination, Fasidi confirmed that an individual could possess dual citizenship but stated that she was not aware of the specific provisions regarding this matter in Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution. When asked about the jurisdiction and date of Hamzat’s naturalization application, Fasidi declined to provide this information, citing the Privacy Act of 1974.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) counsel, Norris Quakers, inquired whether Fasidi was aware that Hamzat had disclosed his American citizenship. She confirmed that she was aware of this disclosure. The tribunal, led by Justice Arum Ashom, admitted the documents as evidence and instructed the respondents’ lawyers to include their objections in their final written addresses.
The tribunal, which also includes Justice Mikail Abdullahi and Justice l.P. Braimoh, has adjourned the case until June 26 for further hearing. In earlier proceedings, discrepancies were presented between results from polling units in nine local government areas and the recorded information on INEC’s Form EC 40A. Lawyers representing INEC, Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat, and APC objected to the admissibility of Form EC 40A, reserving their reasons for their final written addresses.
SOURCE: Hallmarknews
IMAGE: brandpower
