Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos state, says Obafemi Hamzat, the deputy governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), should have been disqualified from contesting the poll over his alleged oath of allegiance to the United States of America.
Rhodes-Vivour spoke on Tuesday during an appearance on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme.
In 2023, Olubusayo Fasidi, an immigration lawyer, testified before the Lagos state governorship election petition tribunal that Hamzat had applied for US naturalisation and taken an oath of allegiance to the country.
The lawyer said she was invited to explain US immigration law and was not familiar with Nigeria’s constitutional provisions on dual citizenship.
Rhodes-Vivour said his legal team relied on the issue in challenging the eligibility of Hamzat, who served as deputy governor to Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“We focused on the fact that this current person that I want to contest for governor, deputy governor, swore an oath of allegiance to another country,” he said.
“Constitutionally, that is one of the number one reasons to dismiss a candidate or dismiss somebody that emerges as the governor.”
Rhodes-Vivour said a person holding public office in Nigeria should not simultaneously owe allegiance to another country.
The former Labour Party governorship candidate also criticised the 2023 election, alleging that it was marred by violence and intimidation.
“You cannot swear an oath of allegiance to provide and to be there for that country in anything that you need, and then still be chief secretary of state of another country,” he said.
“I know in detail what happened across the state, across local governments. Now, I cannot accept an election that is not fair. I cannot accept an election that has had people wounded, beaten, stabbed, killed.”
Rhodes-Vivour said Nigerians should elect leaders who are wholly committed to the country.
He cited his own experience of living and studying abroad, saying he could have pursued citizenship in France, the United Kingdom or the US but chose not to.
“I could have had a plan B for my life, aside from Nigeria. But I love Nigeria so much to have a plan B,” he said.
“That’s the only reason why I did not do that. I did not want to give myself any other option apart from Nigeria.”
Rhodes-Vivour also cited Boris Johnson, the former British prime minister, saying Hamzat could have renounced his alleged US allegiance before seeking public office.
“He could have gone and renounced that oath publicly and said just the way the former prime minister Boris Johnson did when he wanted to become prime minister, renounce his oath of allegiance to America or renounce his citizenship of America,” he added.
Meanwhile, Hamzat has since received the backing of President Bola Tinubu for the Lagos governorship election.