The House of Representatives yesterday began processes of concurring
with the Senate on the criminalisation of same sex marriage.Senators had in November last year passed the Bill , stipulating among
other things, 14 years imprisonment for gay couples who consummate such
union in matrimony, as well as a 10 year prison term for any person who
help in any way to ensure such marriages take place.
MPs unanimously read the legislation for
the seventh time yesterday when they debated the merits and general
principles of the Bill transmitted to them from the upper legislative
chamber.
It was also committed to the committee of the whole for consideration and third reading.
House Majority Leader Rep. Mulikat
Akande-(PDP, Oyo), who led the debate yesterday, described the practice
of same sex marriage as “alien to our society and must not be
imported,” which is abhorred by “our religions and cultural values”.
Chairman of the House Committee on the
Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa said those who use the issue of human
rights to promote homosexuality should remember that they are in the
minority and should not indulge in the practice because million others
would be offended.
Rep. Yakubu Dogara (PDP, Bauchi)
blamed the West for championing the course of gays through threat in
aids and development support.
