Nigerian immigration Lawyer debunks Badenoch’s claim on Nigerian citizenship for her children

Contrary to the recent statement by British Opposition and Conservative Party Leader, Kemi Badenoch that her children cannot acquire Nigerian citizenship because she is a woman married to a British man, a renowned Nigerian immigration Lawyer, Prince Ebere Nwokoro has debunked the claims.

In a statement he issued while reacting to the development, Prince Nwokoro who is the 1st Vice President,
Nigerian Immigration Lawyers Association ( NILA ) made it clear that the statement does not accurately reflect the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution regarding citizenship.

According to him, “Nigeria’s nationality law is rooted in the principle of jus sanguinis , which allows citizenship to be passed down through descent.

“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended), clearly provides that a person born to a Nigerian parent—regardless of the place of birth—may be eligible for Nigerian citizenship. Specifically, Section 25(1) of the Constitution outlines the conditions for citizenship by birth, while Section 26(1) addresses citizenship by registration.”

The NILA Ist Vice President, further argued that, “Given that Kemi Badenoch is a Nigerian citizen by birth, by virtue of Section 25(1)(c) of the Constitution,
her children are entitled to Nigerian citizenship under the provisions of the said section 25 (1) c and / or section 26(1)(b), either through parental descent or grandparental lineage.

“These provisions ensure that : a) children born to Nigerian citizens – whether the mother or father— can acquire citizenship, regardless of where they were born or the citizenship of the other parent ; and b) every person of full age and capacity born outside Nigeria any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria may be registered as a citizen of Nigeria.

He pointed out that as a leader of thought, Ms. Badenoch ought to know that there is a need for accuracy and clarity in public discourse on a topical subject matter like citizenship.

The legal luminary noted that the distortion of facts in this respect can lead to misconceptions and inaccurate public understanding of our citizenship laws.

He therefore enjoined public figures to exercise diligence in representing the law to avoid perpetuating false narratives that could have far-reaching consequences for Nigeria’s legal framework and national identity.

To this end, Prince Nwokoro urged all to disregard Kemi’s assertion as ‘contra legem’ as it is certainly not an accurate reflection of Nigeria’s citizenship regime.