Politics
Dual Citizenship Scandal Rocks Nigeria’s President-Elect Tinubu
One of Nigeria’s most controversial investigative journalists, David Hundeyin, has published a passport that allegedly shows that Tinubu holds dual citizenship.
The revelation has raised questions about the politician’s eligibility to hold public office, given that the Nigerian constitution prohibits dual citizenship for elected officials.
The passport circulating on social media purportedly shows that Tinubu, who is due to be inaugurated as President on May 29, holds a Guinean passport, which is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
Section 137 (1) (a) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria provides “A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if, subject to the provisions of Section 28 of this Constitution, he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria or, except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, he has made a declaration of allegiance to such other country.”
In light of this, it is worth considering the wider issue of drug trafficking in West Africa, where Guinea-Conakry has been a focal point for the illicit trade.
An article published on November 6, 2019, revealed that stakeholders in West Africa were concerned about the rising trend of drug trafficking in the region.
Guinea-Conakry has been particularly affected by the illicit trade, with the extent of the problem coming to light after the military coup in 2008. Many feared that Guinea-Conakry would become “West Africa’s Next Narco State”.
A desk-review research approach was used to critically review the trend of drug trafficking in Guinea-Conakry.
Reports and evaluations obtained from secondary sources of data were analyzed through content analysis. The study found that the “narco-state syndrome” remains a dangerous trend within the West African sub-region, with negative impacts and effects in states like Guinea-Conakry that are caught up in the drug trade.
The study concluded that Guinea-Conakry is at risk of being captured by drug traffickers, as crime governance was found to be interlinked with drug trafficking, with high complicity of higher level elites in the illicit drug trade.
Also his past involvement in Guinea’s presidential election in 2015 raises questions about his potential conflict of interest.
Reports indicate that Tinubu allegedly played a role in influencing the outcome of the election in favor of the incumbent president, Alpha Condé when he made a visit to the country in October 2015.
Bola Tinubu’s involvement in Guinea’s presidential election raises questions about his potential conflict of interest, particularly given the recent revelation that he allegedly holds dual citizenship.
As the leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress and now the President-elect of Nigeria, Tinubu’s actions and allegiances must be transparent and should not contradict the Nigerian Constitution, particularly with regards to dual citizenship.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has explained that the persistent crisis and legal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party compelled him to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
The governor’s defection was formally announced on Monday by his deputy, Mani Mummuni, after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a necessary step taken in the interest of the state and supported by political stakeholders across Zamfara.
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According to the statement, Governor Lawal had remained committed to the PDP despite the ongoing leadership crisis and had made several efforts to reconcile factions within the party.
However, attempts to achieve peace and unity reportedly failed, leading to prolonged legal battles.
The development followed a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court.
The earlier judgment had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The governor was said to have informed political stakeholders during a series of meetings that he would make a final decision about his political future after the appellate court delivered its ruling.
Following the judgment, Lawal concluded that joining the APC would better position him to continue what he described as the “Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild Mission.”
His defection marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Zamfara State and could influence political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has handed a significant setback to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, dismissing his appeal challenging a Federal High Court ruling that questioned his eligibility to contest the upcoming governorship election.
A three-member panel delivered a unanimous judgment on Monday, affirming that the trial court acted correctly when it allowed Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, the plaintiff, to amend his originating summons.
ALSO READ: No Shake-Up in Ondo: Aiyedatiwa Denies Plot To Remove Deputy Gov
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who read the lead judgment, said the governor failed to show that the High Court’s decision caused any miscarriage of justice or denied him a fair hearing.
The appeal was therefore dismissed for lacking merit, and the court awarded ₦2 million in costs against Aiyedatiwa.
The ruling reinforces the November 24, 2025, Federal High Court decision in Akure, which granted Egbuwalo permission to challenge Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility for re-election.
Earlier, the Court of Appeal also rejected an application by Aiyedatiwa to set aside a January 27, 2026, order staying proceedings in the case before the Federal High Court.
The appellate court clarified that the stay was a lawful exercise of its jurisdiction aimed at protecting the integrity of the proceedings.
The panel further emphasized that attempting to overturn its own order would be akin to sitting on appeal over its own decision.
The governor’s remaining option, the court noted, is to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court. Another ₦2 million in costs was awarded against Aiyedatiwa.
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party has deepened following a ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja which upheld a ban on the party’s proposed national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A three-man panel of the appellate court on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear a suit concerning the controversial convention.
The Turaki-led faction had approached the Court of Appeal after a Federal High Court barred the party from holding its planned national convention scheduled for November 14 and 15, 2025.
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The lower court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising or validating the proposed convention.
However, delivering judgment, the appellate court ruled that the Federal High Court had the authority to entertain the case, rejecting the argument that the matter was purely an internal affair of the party.
According to the court, the appellants could not present what it described as a clear violation of the party’s constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as merely an internal party issue.
The panel subsequently dismissed the appeal and awarded a cost of N2 million against the appellants.
The ruling is part of judgments delivered in nine harmonised appeals filed by the Turaki-led faction over the dispute surrounding the convention.
The latest court decision is expected to further intensify the internal wrangling within the opposition party as it continues to grapple with leadership disputes and preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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