Saraki a British citizen, but passport linked to him forged – UK authority

A scanned copy of a British passport purportedly
belonging to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, was
forged, UK authorities have stated.
The authorities however admitted that Mr. Saraki holds a
valid British passport.
The controversial passport, with the name Olybukola
Saraki, and number 306077175 was published by a news
website as evidence of Mr. Saraki’s dual citizenship and
subsequent ineligibility to hold public office in Nigeria.
Though Mr. Saraki confessed that he has a UK passport
obtained by virtue of his being born in the country, he
said the passport published by the website was not his
and may have been forged.
In a statement released by his special assistant on new
media, Bamikole Omishore, the senate president said he
instructed his attorney to contact the UK Passport Office
to investigate what he termed an “act of criminality.”
Mr. Saraki further explained that only those who
voluntarily obtained the citizenship of another country are
disqualified from holding public office.
“It is important to state that the requirement to forfeit
Nigerian nationality/citizenship upon acquisition of the
nationality/citizenship of another country does not apply
to persons who are Nigerians by birth within the
definition of Section 25 of the Constitution. This section
also acknowledges and protects the right to hold
citizenship by birth of another country.
“Citizens of a country by birth do not need to swear to
an oath of allegiance to that country. It is only a
citizenship acquired through naturalisation and
registration that has the requirement to take an oath of
allegiance,” he said on Facebook.
In response to inquiry into the matter by Mr. Saraki’s
lawyer, Andrew Stephenson of Discreet Law, London, Her
Majesty Passport Office confirmed that the published
passport was forged.
The letter, made available to PREMIUM TIMES by Mr
.Saraki’s media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, with reference
number, Disc/Info/SARAKI/030915 and signed by C.
Emery of Disclosure of Information department of HM
Passport Office, confirmed that Mr. Saraki was issued a
British passport on June 29, 2006, which will expire on
29 June, 2016. The number of Saraki’s genuine passport
was, however, redacted in the letter.
The letter confirmed that the number on the scanned
published passport does not relate to Mr. Saraki.
“I can further confirm that the number on the copy of the
passport you supplied (marked 2 by yourselves) does not
relate to Mr. Saraki,” the letter stated.
It however declined to provide detail on who owns the
passport number on the published passport saying that it
can only disclose such information “upon production of a
United Kingdom court order” directing the department to
release the information.