Landmark 2007 Case on Dual Citizenship in Nigeria

In 2007, Prof. Isa Odidi, a Nigerian-born academic and technocrat, challenged his disqualification from contesting the presidential election under the New Democrat Party (NDP) due to his dual citizenship (Nigerian and Canadian).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) disqualified him based on his Canadian citizenship, raising constitutional questions about the rights of Nigerian citizens by birth. Odidi's legal team argued that acquiring Canadian citizenship did not extinguish his status as a Nigerian citizen by birth, referencing the 1999 Constitution.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Chiker, ruled that Nigerian citizens by birth retain their constitutional rights even if they acquire foreign citizenship. This landmark judgment clarified that holding dual citizenship alone cannot disqualify a Nigerian citizen by birth from contesting elections.

The ruling has had lasting implications on Nigeria's electoral law, particularly regarding the eligibility of politicians with foreign citizenship.