The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has refuted the claims that the Federal Government, by signing the SAMOA deal, recognise Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBTQ) rights, News About Nigeria reports.
The association made this known in a statement signed by its National President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, on Tuesday.
Recall that the Federal Government signed a $150 billion loan deal.
It was rumoured that the loan deal, known as the SAMOA deal, comes with a clause that allows the country recognise the rights of LGBTQs.
The NBA, which is the umbrella body of lawyers in the country, has, however, dismissed this claim, describing it as false.
The association noted that it was part of the process that led to the signing of the SAMOA Agreement by FG, adding that it would have opposed the deal if such clause was included.
It, therefore, urged Nigerians to ignore the negative narratives on the agreement, even as it urged the government to do more to sensitise the citizenry on what the country stands to benefit from the deal.
“Prior to the signing of the SAMOA agreement, the Hon. Minister of Budget and Economic Planning requested the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), as a major stakeholder in the polity, to look at the agreement.
“Consequently, I constituted a committee chaired by Mr. Olawale Fapohunda (SAN), former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekiti State and Chairman of the NBA Law Reform Committee, to vet, evaluate and advise on the agreement accordingly.
“The SAMOA Agreement (named after the central South Pacific Ocean country of Samoa, where the agreement was signed), is a broad legal framework between the European Union (EU) member states and more than half of the 79 members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS).
“It is meant to serve as a basis upon which subsequent specific agreements can be negotiated between the European Union and the Federal Government, its sub-nationals and/or the Private sector.
“The agreement covers Six (6) main areas, namely: democracy and human rights, sustainable economic growth and development, climate change, human and social development, peace and security, and migration and mobility.
“My attention was drawn to publications in newspapers and social media platforms, to reactions by some Nigerians to the signing of the SAMOA Agreement by the Federal Government; the alleged clauses in the agreement requiring Nigeria to endorse or accept LGBTQ rights, as a pre-condition to access an alleged loan facility to the tune of $150, 000, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Billion USD), only.
“Contrary to the narrative being propagated either due to ignorance of the content of the agreement or, a deliberate intention to mislead the public (neither of which is good), I wish to state that there is no provision in the SAMOA agreement which requires Nigeria to accept or in anyway recognise LGBTQ or gay rights, either as a pre-condition for a loan of $150 Billion USD or at all.
“Instead, the agreement was expressly made subject to the local laws and the sovereignty of the contracting Nations.
“That is to say, the SAMOA agreement recognises, for instance, Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2023 and of course, the Supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“If this were not the case, the NBA would have since advised the Federal Government not to enter or engage in any form of partnership or agreement that has the ability to undermine the sovereignty of our nation in anyway.
“For avoidance of any doubt, the SAMOA agreement does not, in any way, seek to compromise our existing legislations nor undermine the sovereignty of Nigeria,” the statement read.
