The Senate, yesterday, threw out abill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow persons of African origin to acquire Nigerian citizenship for purposes of re-integration and development.
The bill, which was sponsored by Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, was killed on the floor, when he was not able to convince his colleagues beyond doubt that opening the borders of Nigeria to other African nations to come and acquire citizenship would be in the best interest of the country.
Contributing to the debate on the bill, the Deputy Leader of the Senate, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, who is also a lawyer, observed that what the bill sought to provide, had been adequately provided for in Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the 1999 Constitution.
Na’Allah said: “Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria adequately provided for citizenship. Section 25 provides for citizenship by birth; Section 26 provides for citizenship by registration while Section 27 provides for citizenship by naturalization.