House warns FG not to bow to pressure on same sex law

The House of Representatives yesterday urged the Federal Government not to bow to any pressure from Europe to repeal the promulgated same sex marriage law in Nigeria.

The law provides a penalty of 14 years imprisonment for anyone who engages in the act, as well as 10 years imprisonment for any person witnessing same sex unions or participation in it.

The House also called on the national and states’ legislators to remain steadfast in their legislative oversight on the implementation of the same sex marriage prohibition law. This position was arrived at after the House received a report of support from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Parliamentary Assembly on the law.

Chairman of the Nigeria delegation to the parliament, Rep Mukhtar Mohammad Ahmed (PDP, Niger), told the House that the European Parliament had attempted to sanction Nigeria and Uganda over their laws on prohibition of same sex marriage.

“The European Parliament adopted a resolution on 12 March 2014 to commence consultations aimed at suspending Nigeria and Uganda from the Cotonou Partnership Agreement over the passage of legislations by both countries further criminalising homosexual activities,” he said.

Consequently, he added, the ACP parliamentary assembly decided to express its solidarity with the parliaments of Nigeria and Uganda.

The ACP parliament also calls on “the European Union to appreciate the democratic choices made by the two countries and to delink cultural preferences from the need to address developmental and poverty issues.”

The House unanimously voted to commend the ACP parliamentary assembly for its “exemplary show of solidarity” with the Nigerian parliament.