WE WON'T BE BLACKMAILED INTO LEGALIZING GAY MARRIAGE - FG

The Federal Government,yesterday, declared before the United Nations Human Rights Council, that it will not bow to international pressure to allow same sex marriage in the country. The government argued that it is not only against the cultural and traditional values of Nigerians but that 92 percent of...
Nigerians support the Anti Same-Sex
Marriage Bill passed by the Senate.
Nigeria also accused foreign countries of sponsoring the Boko Haram
insurgency in some parts of the country even as it justified the
execution of death row inmates in the country, contending that it was
in accordance with Nigerian laws.
Defending Nigeria's human rights record at the on-going 17th session
of the Universal Peer Review, UPR, mechanism of the UN Human Rights
Council in Geneva, Switzerland, the Attorney General and Minister of
Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke, SAN, said "Nigeria does not accept
recommendation of some countries on same sex marriage, because it is
against its national values. Recent polling data suggests that 92
percent of Nigerians support the Anti Same-Sex Marriage Bill passed by
the Senate.
"The Marriage Act defines marriage as a relationship between a man and
a woman. Christianity and Islam, which are the major religions in
Nigeria, also recognize marriage as relationship between a man and
woman. Same-sex marriage is not in the culture of Nigerians. Sexual
and gender minorities are not visible in Nigeria and there is no
officially registered association of gays and lesbians. In writing
this report, a consultation and validation process was held with
various stakeholders where the issue of same-sex marriage was brought
up, and the generalview of the participants was that same-sex marriage
was not a human rights issue in Nigeria.