African Democratic Congress (ADC) Lagos governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has argued that Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat should be disqualified from contesting the 2027 Lagos governorship election over an alleged oath of allegiance to the United States.
Rhodes-Vivour made the claim during an interview with ARISE News, reviving an issue that was also raised during his legal challenge to the 2023 Lagos governorship election.
He alleged that Hamzat, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 election, became a US citizen as an adult and consequently took an oath of allegiance to the United States.
Rhodes-Vivour argued that there is a distinction between dual citizenship acquired by birth and voluntarily obtaining citizenship of another country as an adult, which he said involves an oath of allegiance.
The ADC candidate also claimed that Hamzat acknowledged in documents submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that he had sworn an oath of allegiance to another country.
The issue was previously raised during the 2023 election petition proceedings, where an immigration lawyer, Olubusayo Fasidi, reportedly testified about Hamzat’s US naturalisation process and alleged oath of allegiance.
Rhodes-Vivour maintains that the alleged US oath has constitutional implications for Hamzat’s eligibility to contest for governor.
Lagos 2027: Hamzat’s Oath of Allegiance to a Foreign Nation Should Disqualify Him from Governorship Bid – Rhodes-Vivour
There is a misconception about the dual citizenship issue regarding the Deputy Governor of Lagos, Obafemi Hamzat. Obtaining dual citizenship at birth is… pic.twitter.com/oRiE61TNs1
— ARISE NEWS (@ARISEtv) September 17, 2026
