FG yet to decide on same-sex marriage

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasstated that the Federal Government is yet to take a position on the bill pending in the National Assembly recommending stiff penalties for persons who engage in same-sex marriage in the country.The Senate recently passed the bill which is now awaiting concurrence at the House of Representatives before transmission to President Goodluck Jonathan for possibble assent for it to become law.Even though the bill has drawn criticisms from Western countries, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, recently told State House correspondents that Nigeria as an independent democracy had the right to enact its own laws for the good of its society.Maku, who was responding to questions on the reported comments of the United States government against the bill approved by the Senate, however, stressed that government was yet to take a position because the bill had not been brought to the president.Maku said, "as you do know, Nigeria reserves the right as an independent nation to live under laws that are democratically passed by the National Assembly. If at the end it becomes law, it will become the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If the president assents to it, it will become law, if he doesn't then, if the National Assembly is able to muster two third majority to pass it into law, it becomes law."But we are still far from what the Senate has done for it to become law."Having said this, I believe our institutions are clear. We live in a democracy. Foreign countries that may not be happy with certain aspects of laws passed in Nigeria are free to express their views concerning whatever law that is passed through the Nigerian legislature but at the same time, all those countries know how democracies work," he said.Similarly, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, was quoted to have maintained the right of Nigeria to make its own laws as long as it served the interest of the nation.
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