Anambra governorship poll: PDP disqualifies Nigerian with Canadian citizenship

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By Femi SHODUNKE

NIGERIA: ARE you a dual citizen of Nigeria and another country?

If yes, you may not contest for governorship election in your home state, in case you are interested, going by the development within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP in Anambra State has disqualified a candidate who was interested in contesting for the governorship election on the platform of the party based on Section 182 (1) (a) of the Nigerian Constitution.

The Anambra Gubernatorial Election Screening Committee of the PDP on Friday said that Mr. Akolisa Ufodike, would not be allowed to contest, due to his dual citizenship status as a Nigerian and Canadian.

The Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Adamu Waziri, said that the decision was taken in agreement with the Nigerian Constitution which states that Nigerian aspiring to become a governor must not be a citizen of another country.

The section, GatewayMail findings revealed, also affects the President, Vice President, governors, deputy governors and members of national (Senate and House of Representatives) and state assemblies.

The section says: “No person shall be qualified for election to the office of 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 or, except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, he has made a declaration of allegiance to such other country.”

Waziri, however, said that six other aspirants were given clearance to contest in the party’s primary ahead of the governorship election which has been fixed for November 18, 2017.

He explained while presenting clearance certificates to the successful aspirants at the PDP headquarters in Abuja that seven governorship hopefuls, who submitted their nomination forms, appeared before his committee.

According to him, six of them, who met the requirements, were given the clearance to contest among themselves for the PDP’s ticket.

He listed them as former Aviation Minister, Senator Stella Oduah, ex-Minister of State, Mr. John Emeka, oil magnate, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, Dr. Alex Obiogolu, and ex-Miss Nigerian, who is a member of the House of the House of Representatives, Lynda Ikpeazu.

Waziri also explained that the committee gave the former Secretary of to the State Government, Mr. Oseloka Henry Obaze, a conditional clearance.

The decision, he stressed, was taken on Obaze till his full compliance with the provisions laid down by the party.

He stated that the committee was fair in it decisions, adding that aggrieved aspirants can make an appeal to the party’s National Working Committee or the Caretaker Committee, as the two statutory bodies that can override the decisions.

“Anybody who is not satisfied with the decision of the committee should appeal to the National Working Committee or the Caretaker committee for reconsideration,” Waziri stated.

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