Senate President David Mark said yesterday that the Senate was blackmailed to vote against deletion of Section 29(4)(b), which deals with renunciation of Nigerian citizenship.
Mark also noted that following the outcry over the outcome of the vote on the section, the Senate would revisit it.
The Senate President spoke when a coalition of Nigerian women under the aegis of Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN) visited him in Abuja.
The coalition was led by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zainab Maina.
Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Women Affairs Mrs. Josephine Anenih and a host of other women stormed the Senate to protest against the alleged move to endorse “underage marriage”.
The minister told Mark that their visit was informed by their desire to seek clarification on some issues that arose from the voting of Senators during the Constitution amendment.
Saadatu Mahdi, who presented the group’s position paper to Mark, said that they were in the Senate to seek deletion of Section 29(4)(b).
Mahdi said it was the desire of Nigerians, who treasure their citizenship, to remove the provision that young Nigerian girls, who are not old enough to vote or to obtain a driver’s licence, are somehow old enough to renounce their citizenship.
She noted that the harm of maintaining Section 29(40(b), which is open to manipulation arising from the ambiguity, far outweighs any arguable benefits a few women might obtain.
She said: “Contrary to the position conveyed for the retention of the section, that under Sharia, a girl, once married, automatically assumes full mental and intellectual capacity, we posit that there is certainly no unanimity of positions on such matters among Islamic jurists, which therefore allows the society to determine for itself what is in its best interest.
“We further posit that there should be no basis to compel a girl to deal with matters of such gravity as the renunciation of citizenship merely because she is married.
“Islam is certainly not presumptuous or harsh as to burden her with what she is mentally and physically incapable of bearing.”
The Senate Committee on Constitution review recommended deletion of Section 29 (4)(b), which deals with renunciation of citizenship to cater for child rights and gender protection from discrimination.
Section 29. (1) states “Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation”. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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who blackmailed who?
ReplyDeletedavid mark u have fail dis time.why should muslim people decive u God will ask u question.
ReplyDeleteDavid mark you fall the hand of thos peopl who vote you to power.but remember one day God will ask you
ReplyDeleteHow will you not be blackmailed? the north knows you are all money hungry so why wont sell your concience i am ashamed of all of you giving stupid excuses . you dont desrve to rule us
ReplyDeleteMy dear Anonymous 12:31am,it's wrong for you to lavishly use arrogance & total disrespect on the person & personality of our Senate president. Especially when you're are not properly identified. To pple like me,it looks as if you not spoken so long as you speak incognito. Let me give you a task,go search for d videos of d proceedings of d senate on the day this issue was voted,take ur time & view it. Then go to d s section of d constitution where d disputed article is 29(4)b,go through it thou roughly,find out how long this article has been there unnoticed. Then tell me if this generation of senators, who observed that it was okay do not deserve our credence compared to those who's been going there without observing those critical errors that may exist in our constitution. It's time we Nigerians stop allowing our sentiments and acquired sentiments guide our thoughts & speech. U need to apologise to d senate president for insulting him unjustly. When our leaders make mistakes or seem to make mistakes & wish to speak on their actions. It resolve any situation if we speak of their actions without objectivity. Constructive criticism is allowed anywhere in the world. Have a nice day!
DeleteSorry I meant to say:when our leaders make mistakes and we want to speak on their errors.
DeleteDavid Mark, u have exhibited great wisdom in handling d affairs of s Senate but for this time u failed Nigerian. U better revisit d issue or ur political career is at stake.
ReplyDelete