“The Minister has decided to drag me to court over this matter, which I believe is beyond the scope of her office,” Sarkindaji stated.
.... Says Minister should now take over the sponsorship of the wedding.
Niger State Speaker Sarkin-Daji Makes U-Turn On Plot To Marry-Off 100 Girls Orphaned By Insurgency As Minister Of Women Affairs Heads To Court Petitions Police IG
Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has approached the court of law to stop the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, from marrying 100 girls.
The minister, speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, said she has also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over Sarkin-Daji’s plan.
She further disclosed that a thorough investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the issue slated for May 24.
Recall that the Niger lawmaker disclosed last week that he would sponsor the wedding of 100 girls, some of whom were orphaned by insurgency, as part of his Maringa constituency project.
According to Mr. Abdulmalik Muhammed Sarkin-Daji, he had acquired materials for the event which he had scheduled for May 24, and promised to pay dowries for the bridegrooms.
Following the criticisms that greeted the announcement, the speaker stipulated that he was only funding the wedding — not forcing the girls into marriage.
However, Minister Kennedy-Ohanenye countered the plan stressing that it is unacceptable, and that the future of the girls should be a priority.
She said the ministry will take responsibility for the girls’ education and vocational training.
“I want to let the honorable Speaker of the House in Niger state know that this is totally unacceptable by the Federal Minister of Women Affairs and by the government,” Kennedy-Ohanenye said.
“Because there is something called the Child’s Right Act and I said it from the onset, that is no more business as usual.
“These children must be considered, their future must be considered, the future of the children to come out of their marriage must be considered.
"So I have gone to court. I have written him a letter and written a petition to the IG of police.
“And I have filed for injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do on the 24th, until a thorough investigation is carried out on those girls, find out whether they gave their consent, their ages, find out the people marrying them.
“As the speaker did not think about empowering these women or sending them to school or giving them some kind of training support financially. The Women Affairs have decided to take it up and we are going to educate the children.
“Those that do not want to go to school, we will train them in a skill, empower them with sustainable empowerment machines to enable that child build his or her life and make up her mind who and when to get married.
" If for any reason the speaker tries to do contrary to what I have just mentioned, there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”
Niger Speaker Withdraws Support From Planned Wedding For 100 Orphans
In a surprising turn of events, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, has withdrawn his support from a controversial wedding ceremony planned for 100 female orphans in his constituency.
The girls are said to be orphaned IDPs in Niger State.
The decision came after a legal challenge initiated by the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Ohannaya.
During a media briefing on Tuesday, Speaker Sarkindaji stated that his withdrawal followed a lawsuit filed by Minister, whom he accused of overstepping her official boundary.
“The Minister has decided to drag me to court over this matter, which I believe is beyond the scope of her office,” Sarkindaji stated. He further suggested that the Minister should now take over the sponsorship of the wedding.
The Speaker had previously arranged funding for the ceremony, channelling funds through local traditional leaders and clerics to assist the families of the orphaned girls. Despite pulling out of the event, he affirmed his commitment to the financial pledges already made.
“I have made the funds available to the girls’ families, and I will not retract my support,” he declared.
Sarkindaji also clarified his initial motivation for opting to sponsor the event, pointing out that it was meant to alleviate the financial burden on the girls’ families as provided for by Islam, rather than serving as a constituency project or forceful marriage as some reports had erroneously indicated.
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