- By Halimah Olamide
“It is necessary to assure Nigerians that Tinubu’s administration, being a rule-based government, will not enter into any international agreement that will be detrimental to the interest of the country and its citizens,”
Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Planning, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, has dismissed media report claiming that the Samoa partnership agreement signed June 28 has endorsed the rights of Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer(LGBTQ), people in Nigeria.
He also debunked claims that Nigeria would receive 150 billion for entering into the deal.
He stated this in Abuja on Saturday at a press briefing.
Also present at the briefing was the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga and other aides of the president.
The report has sparked off a wild debate with a barrage of attacks on the government.
Over the one week, religious leaders have used their pulpits to condemn the government for allegedly entering into such agreement.
The minister recalled that the agreement, generally referred to as the Samoa agreement, was signed at the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States(OACPS), Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium, on June 28.
Details of the agreement indicated that the partnership is between the European Union and its member-states on one hand, and members of OACPCS on the other.
It further said that the populous African nation would pocket 150 billion dollars for endorsing the deal.
Negotiations on the agreement began in 2018 and it was signed on Nov. 15, 2018 by all 27 EU member-states and 47 of the 79 OACPS states.
The African Regional Protocol on the deal consists of two parts – framework for cooperation, and areas of cooperation that include sustainable economic growth, environment and human rights protection, among others.
Reacting to the medium’s report on the matter, Bagudu said that there was no iota of truth in it.
He said that there was nowhere in the document where 150 billion dollars was mentioned.
He also said that the agreement made no reference to LGBTQ or the rights of people involved in such activities.
He declared that President Bola Tinubu was a proud Nigerian and would never sign any document that could hurt its laws and constitution.
He said that the agreement was seeking to foster cooperation between EU’s 27 members and OACPC with 79 nations.
“The partnership is about trade agreements, human rights and environmental promotion,” he enthused.
He said Nigeria signed after extensive reviews and consultations by the inter-ministerial committee convened by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that of justice.
He said Nigeria had made it clear that any provision that is inconsistent with the laws of Nigeria shall be null and void, and that is, thus, what government has to say on the issue of same-sex marriage.
“There is an existing law against that since 2014.
“It is necessary to assure Nigerians that Tinubu’s administration, being a rule-based government, will not enter into any international agreement that will be detrimental to the interest of the country and its citizens,” he said.
He pointed out that Nigeria had entered into many other agreements most of which had benefited the country in the areas of water, sanitation, education, agriculture, among others.
According to him, the Samoa agreement is focused on economic development, security, environment, migration, mobility and climate change.
Other areas included investment opportunities, sustainable development and mutually beneficial cooperations, among others.
He said that no article supported rights of LGBTQ, declaring that everything signed was in tandem with Nigeria’s laws.
“President Tinubu is non-apologetic about his respects for our diversities and wouldn’t want to do anything that will hurt anyone.
“President Tinubu did not authorise any agreement that can undermine our constitution or laws.
“We did not sign anything that has a clause that challenges our laws.
“We are always conscious of our sovereignty; we respect our two religions,” he declared.
He urged the media to be truthful and patriotic in the handling of reports so as to protect national interest.
Bagudu reminded the media that development partners were also sensitive to media reports.
“Let us not ridicule ourselves and scare international investors. Nigerians should be allowed to know the truth,” he said.
He reminded the media that there were hardworking Nigerians helping the nation to secure foreign investments, support and cooperation.
“We should not undermine their efforts and discourage them from putting in their best for the nation,” he said.