…As fresh suit seeks guber candidates’ disqualification
The legal cloud hovering over the governorships candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Valentine Ozigbo and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in the forthcoming election in Anambra state has refused to clear as legal actions keep pilling against them in the law courts.
The latest is the suit challenging the validity of the nomination of the Robert Nchekwube Umeozulu, as running mate to Valentine Ozigbo over his voluntary renunciation of his Nigerian citizenship.
Also facing a fresh legal hurdle is the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, Charles Soludo, over false claims he made in his INEC nomination form EC-9 to the effect that he is contesting to govern Aguata II constituency, said to be non-existent.
According to courts documents quoted, Umeozulu’s name was unlawfully submitted to INEC by PDP as its deputy governorship candidate and running mate to Ozigbo in the November 6 governorship elections in Anambra state despite having voluntarily renounced his Nigerian citizenship and taken up citizenship of the United States of America (USA), and also, swearing under oath, to bear true allegiance and complete loyalty to the USA.
In his oath of allegiance, Umeozulu swore never to take interest in the affairs of any other country except that of the United States of America.
Umeozulu also indicated in his INEC form EC-9, that he had voluntarily renounced his Nigerian citizenship and take up that of the USA. He also indicated in his INEC nomination form that he had long sworn an oath of total allegiance to the USA against Nigeria.
He answered “yes” to the questions: “Have you voluntarily acquired citizenship of any other country”, and “Have you made a declaration of allegiance to that country or any other country”. He indicated he allegiance to the USA.
According to the suit, Umeozulu’s action is against the combined interpretation of Section 6(6), 182 (1) (a) and 187(1) (2) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended.
Section 182(1) of the Nigerian constitution states that “no person shall be qualified for election into the office of the governor of a state if: (a) subject to the provisions of section 28 of this constitution he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria”.
