In the Senate, the lawmakers called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sign the bill into law.
In his remarks after the bill was passed by the Senate, Senate President, David Mark said with the harmonization of the bill by the two chambers, the bill would now sail through even as he urged President Jonathan to quickly append his signature to the bill. He said: “This bill will go through now and it will be signed as quickly as possible. We have been under series of attack from different quarters.
I think we believe in this bill. The earlier we sign it into law, the better. We (Nigerians) have many shortcomings; we don’t want to add this one (same sex marriage) to it.” Contributing to the harmonized report, Senator Babayu Gamawa, PDP, Bauchi said: “Nigeria is a religious country and the two major religions do not accept same sex marriage.”
His position was also supported by Senator Ahmed Lawan. It will be recalled that the Same Sex Bill, 2011 was passed by the Senate on Tuesday, November 29, 2012 and the House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 2 but there were some differences in the two versions of the bill, as passed by the two chambers.
This led to the setting up of the Conference Committee on Tuesday, July 9 to reconcile the areas of differences, which appeared essentially in five clauses of the bill.
The bill provides that a marriage contract or civil union entered into between persons of same sex by virtue a certificate issued by a foreign country shall be void in Nigeria.
It also stated that marriage or civil union entered into between persons of same sex shall not be solemnized in any place of worship either Church or Mosque or any other place whatsoever called in Nigeria.
Again, only marriage contracted between a man and a woman either under Islamic Law, Customary Law or the Marriage Act is recognized as valid in Nigeria.
The bill also provided that persons that entered into a same sex marriage or civil union contract commit an offence and are jointly liable on conviction to a term of 14 years imprisonment each.
Also, any persons or group of persons that administers, witnesses, screens, abet and aids the solemnization of a same sex marriage contract or civil union or supports the registration, operation of gay clubs, societies and organizations, processions or meetings in Nigeria commits an offence and liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.
Source: Tribune
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