Michael Aondoakaa, the former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the allegation that President-elect Bola Tinubu holds dual citizenship. Aondoakaa clarified that having dual citizenship does not disqualify any Nigerian by birth from running for office in the country. He made this known during an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
Reacting to the controversy, Aondoakaa stated that "a person who has dual citizenship by naturalisation or registration cannot contest for president in Nigeria." However, he clarified that "a person who is born in Nigeria, and acquired citizenship in another country, has the right to contest an election." He emphasized that it is important to first prove that the individual in question is not a Nigerian by birth before bringing up the issue of acquiring another citizenship.
Aondoakaa further stated that the issue of Tinubu's alleged dual citizenship was not raised in the petitions presented by the Labour Party or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. He described the argument as "more of an academic exercise" and explained that it is not a ground in the petition, and therefore cannot be amended at this time.
The controversy surrounding Tinubu's alleged dual citizenship has been a topic of discussion since the conclusion of the presidential election. However, Aondoakaa's clarification provides some insight into the legal position on the matter.
