The
alleged voting for child marriage in Nigeria has been clarified; some senators
have declared that the public misconstrued their position on the issue. Senators
Akin Odunsi, (ACN Ogun West) and Atiku Abubakar Bagudu (PDP Kebbi Central)
briefed journalists that the Senate position on the issue was completely
different from both the public and media views. Senator Odunsi, explained that
the alleged under age marriage provision was an existing law in the 1999
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as contained in section 29
clauses 4(b) which states that" any woman that is married in Nigeria is of
full age" He explained further that the Senate wanted to amend the archaic
clause and not create the law as wrongly portrayed by Nigerians. He said the
move was not successful due to shortage of 13 votes because 60 senators voted
for its removal as against 73 required votes while 35 voted for its retention.
Senator Abubakar Bagudu, on his part explained that it was unfortunate that the
Senate has been drawn into what he described as unnecessary debate. He
emphasized that the alleged endorsement of the Senate for under age marriage in
Nigeria was a terrible misrepresentation of what the Senate considered or voted
for under section 29 clauses 4(a) and (b) of the Nigeria constitution and as
presented for consideration by its committee on Constitution review. He further
stated that the issue of renunciation of citizenship was what the Senate
considered and voted on as far as section 29 clauses 4a and b were concerned
and not anything about marriage. He stated: "Clause 4a of section 29 of
the 1999 constitution defines a full age for any Nigerian who wants to renounce
his or her citizenship to be 18 years and above while clause 4b states further
that in the case of women, aside the 18 years prescribed in clause 4a, any
woman that is married can be considered to be of full age".
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