Along with civil society organizations (CSOs) and rights advocates, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) is opposing the federal government’s plan to sign the contentious Samoa Agreement.
This came following the alleged signing of the controversial Samoa agreement by the federal government.
According to the July 4 cover story of the Daily Trust, the agreement allegedly contains clauses requiring developing and underdeveloped countries to aid the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community’s agitations for recognition in exchange for financial and other forms of support from developed societies.
Although the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, through his media assistant, Bolaji Adebiyi, said the documents signed were strictly for the economic development of Nigeria, the NSCIA, an umbrella body for Nigerian Muslims, insisted that the council’s stance on same-sex marriage or LGBT marriage remain unchanged.
When contacted by the Daily Trust on Wednesday night, an official of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Abubakar Akande, who is the Administrative Secretary of the council, said that the council’s stance on same-sex marriage or LGBT marriage remained unchanged.
Akande said that though they were invited and attended the meeting in March this year, it was not for them to ratify or oppose the draft shared with them.
He said that the 403-page document containing 104 articles was given to the Legal Director of the NSCIA and that there was no same-sex marriage in the draft.
“We (NSCIA) would not welcome such agreement. Our stance remains the same since the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. We cannot agree to what is against the injunction of our Creator, Allah, on this matter, and which also disrespects Nigeria’s sovereignty,” he said.
On his part, the Ameer (leader), Abuja Muslim Forum (AMF), Alhaji Abdulrazaq Ajani, said that the African civil society organisations (CSOs), of which the AMF is a part, had met top government officials and members of the two chambers of the National Assembly yesterday, especially the chairmen of the relevant committees in the House of Representatives and also the administrative leadership of the legislators.
He said they rejected the move completely.
