President Goodluck Jonathan has
accused his main challenger in
March 28 election, Muhammadu
Buhari, of assuring western nations
of his preparedness to support same-
sex marriage if he wins the
forthcoming polls.
Mr. Jonathan, who spoke through his
campaign organization, said Mr.
Buhari made the pledge to secure the
support of the countries to win
election.
Femi Fani-Kayode, the Spokesperson
of President Jonathan, said four
western countries extracted a
commitment from Mr. Buhari, who
represents the All Progressives
Congress, to support a legislation
enabling same sex marriage.
Amid a flurry of apparently election-
fuelled allegations, the claim by the
Jonathan camp Wednesday seemed
one of the most serious.
Still, Mr. Fani-Kayode, reputed for
making unsubstantiated allegations
against political opponents, refused
to give the names of the four
countries he was referring to.
Mr. Buhari, seen by his supporters as
a non-nonsense former military
leader, whose brief administration
in the 1980s waged campaigns
against indiscipline and corruption,
has not given any hint suggesting he
would condone same-sex
relationship, already outlawed in
Nigeria.
Nigeria’s National Assembly has
already passed a bill making gay
marriage a criminal offense, and
offenders risk spending 14 years in
jail if convicted.
But addressing a press conference on
Wednesday in Abuja, Mr. Fani-
Kayode said the proposition was
made to Mr. Buhari by the
representatives of a number of
western governments when he was
in the United Kingdom recently.
Mr. Fani Kayode said Mr. Buhari had
appealed to the western leaders for
support and to get their
endorsement.
“He had talks with the
representatives of at least four
western countries. The leaders of
those countries made an offer to
General Muhammadu Buhari and we
are reliably informed that he has put
the offer under consideration.
“The proposition and offer was that
if he was prepared to support
legislation in Nigeria to allow same
sex marriage and if he was prepared
to repeal the anti-gay laws in Nigeria
they will, in return, endorse, support
and fund him, initially covertly and
eventually publicly, at the right
time,” he said.
He also said that instead of out
rightly rejecting these offers and
spurning this proposition, Mr. Buhari
“apparently refused to rule it out
and has put the matter under
consideration.
“Instead of him to say NO he assured
them that he would consider these
two things.
“We believe that this is a matter that
ought to be brought to the attention
of the Nigerian people as a matter of
urgency,” he said.
Mr. Fani-Kayode added that the APC
are so desperate to ensure that Mr.
Buhari becomes the President of
Nigeria that they are actually
prepared to consider the scrapping
of all anti-gay or anti-homosexual
legislations and at the same time,
endorsing and supporting fresh
legislation that would allow same sex
marriage in the country.
“They are considering this despite
the fact that the overwhelming
majority of the Nigerian people find
same sex marriage and, indeed,
homosexuality repugnant and
unacceptable.
“We are using this occasion to
challenge General Buhari to come
clean and to tell the Nigerian people
whether this is true and whether, in
the unlikely event of his being
elected President, he is seriously
considering scrapping the anti-
homosexual laws in our country and
pushing through new legislation
which would allow same sex
marriage,” Mr. Fani-Kayode said.
accused his main challenger in
March 28 election, Muhammadu
Buhari, of assuring western nations
of his preparedness to support same-
sex marriage if he wins the
forthcoming polls.
Mr. Jonathan, who spoke through his
campaign organization, said Mr.
Buhari made the pledge to secure the
support of the countries to win
election.
Femi Fani-Kayode, the Spokesperson
of President Jonathan, said four
western countries extracted a
commitment from Mr. Buhari, who
represents the All Progressives
Congress, to support a legislation
enabling same sex marriage.
Amid a flurry of apparently election-
fuelled allegations, the claim by the
Jonathan camp Wednesday seemed
one of the most serious.
Still, Mr. Fani-Kayode, reputed for
making unsubstantiated allegations
against political opponents, refused
to give the names of the four
countries he was referring to.
Mr. Buhari, seen by his supporters as
a non-nonsense former military
leader, whose brief administration
in the 1980s waged campaigns
against indiscipline and corruption,
has not given any hint suggesting he
would condone same-sex
relationship, already outlawed in
Nigeria.
Nigeria’s National Assembly has
already passed a bill making gay
marriage a criminal offense, and
offenders risk spending 14 years in
jail if convicted.
But addressing a press conference on
Wednesday in Abuja, Mr. Fani-
Kayode said the proposition was
made to Mr. Buhari by the
representatives of a number of
western governments when he was
in the United Kingdom recently.
Mr. Fani Kayode said Mr. Buhari had
appealed to the western leaders for
support and to get their
endorsement.
“He had talks with the
representatives of at least four
western countries. The leaders of
those countries made an offer to
General Muhammadu Buhari and we
are reliably informed that he has put
the offer under consideration.
“The proposition and offer was that
if he was prepared to support
legislation in Nigeria to allow same
sex marriage and if he was prepared
to repeal the anti-gay laws in Nigeria
they will, in return, endorse, support
and fund him, initially covertly and
eventually publicly, at the right
time,” he said.
He also said that instead of out
rightly rejecting these offers and
spurning this proposition, Mr. Buhari
“apparently refused to rule it out
and has put the matter under
consideration.
“Instead of him to say NO he assured
them that he would consider these
two things.
“We believe that this is a matter that
ought to be brought to the attention
of the Nigerian people as a matter of
urgency,” he said.
Mr. Fani-Kayode added that the APC
are so desperate to ensure that Mr.
Buhari becomes the President of
Nigeria that they are actually
prepared to consider the scrapping
of all anti-gay or anti-homosexual
legislations and at the same time,
endorsing and supporting fresh
legislation that would allow same sex
marriage in the country.
“They are considering this despite
the fact that the overwhelming
majority of the Nigerian people find
same sex marriage and, indeed,
homosexuality repugnant and
unacceptable.
“We are using this occasion to
challenge General Buhari to come
clean and to tell the Nigerian people
whether this is true and whether, in
the unlikely event of his being
elected President, he is seriously
considering scrapping the anti-
homosexual laws in our country and
pushing through new legislation
which would allow same sex
marriage,” Mr. Fani-Kayode said.
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