- Ex-President Buhari's media aide, Bashir Ahmad, has clarified that the $150bn Samoa Deal signed by the Tinubu government doesn't mean Nigeria has legalised same-sex marriage
- Ahmad noted that Nigeria has a law that criminalised LGBT, and the National Assembly has not made a move to change the law
- The former presidential aide recalled that former President Goodluck Jonathan signed the bill into law in 2014
FCT, Abuja - Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari, has clarified that the $150bn Samoa deal signed by the Bola Tinubu government does not mean Nigeria will allow same-sex marriage or relationships.
The former presidential aide maintained that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) remained illegal in Nigeria. He stressed that Nigeria has not legalised LGBTQ rights, adding that the country has laws that criminalise same-sex relationships.
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Ahmad recalled that in January 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan signed a bill into law that makes same-sex relationships illegal.
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Similarly, Okanlawon Gaffar, a legal practitioner, in an interview with Legit.ng, said the chances of LGBTQ in the agreement are 50/50, depending on what the federal government put forward. He made his comment while analysing Article 2.5 of the Samoa Pact.
He said:
"What 2.5 is saying is gender equality shall be considered and enshrined across all policies. No matter the policy that might actually be intended to come up with, the idea of gender equality may be. "The question is, what is gender equality? On the surface, gender equality is just the opposite of gender discrimination. It (the Samoa Pact) is not expressly saying that the gender perspective of this country will be recognised. In Nigeria, for instance, the gender perspective is 60 ratio 40 or 80 ratio 20. It is contrary to what 2.5 is saying. 2.5 is saying gender equality, so it will be a 50-50 ratio."
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Penalty for LGBT advocacy in Nigeria
According to him, the law imposes harsh penalties, including up to 14 years in prison, for those found guilty of engaging in same-sex relationships or activities.
He said that the law also bans gay marriage, same-sex "amorous relationships", and membership in gay rights groups.
The former presidential aide noted that Western countries, including the United States, widely criticised the passage of this law, which had urged Nigeria to respect gay rights. Despite this pressure, Nigeria went ahead with the law, which remains in effect.
His tweet reads:
"The LGBTQ is not legalized in Nigeria. In January 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law a bill that criminalizes same-sex relationships, defying Western pressure over gay rights and provoking criticism from the United States. "The law imposes penalties of up to 14 years in prison and bans gay marriage, same-sex 'amorous relationships,' and membership in gay rights groups."
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In another tweet, the former presidential aide maintained that the deal did not mean that Nigeria is now an advocate of the LGBT.
See the tweets below:
The second tweet here:
Nigerians react to Tinubu's $150bn Samoa deal
Legit.ng earlier reported that the minister of budget and economic planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, said Nigeria has signed a N150 billion Samoa agreement
The development has resulted in many knocks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration because of LGBTQ clauses allegedly attached to the agreement.t
Some Islamic clerics, rights activists, and civil society organisations (CSOs) have rejected and condemned the move. agreement
Source: Legit.ng
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