Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who represents Kwara Central and Chairman Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, has disproved the information about a bill that allegedly legalizes marriage of underage children. He said he was not aware of any kind of a direct bill that would explicitly allow child marriage or would indirectly seek to make a provision for such marriages.
He said this on the backdrop of a debate in the Senate where Senator Ahmed Sani Yarima (ANPP, Zamfara) and some other Senators reportedly advocated the recognition of underage children marriage.
Mr Saraki’s Special Assistant on Media and Advocacy, Bamikole Omishore, quoted the comments of Senator posted on his website and in social media, trying to point out that Mr Saraki has been always supporting protection of children, and girls in particular:
Mr Omishore reminded in his statement that Senator Saraki during his term as Governor of Kwara State, was the first among his colleagues in the 19 northern states to sign the Child Rights Act into law, what domesticated the United Nations convention on child rights. Mr Omishore reassured that Senator will stand to oppose any bill that would seek a contrary objective to his belief in the protection of the girl child.
He said this on the backdrop of a debate in the Senate where Senator Ahmed Sani Yarima (ANPP, Zamfara) and some other Senators reportedly advocated the recognition of underage children marriage.
Mr Saraki’s Special Assistant on Media and Advocacy, Bamikole Omishore, quoted the comments of Senator posted on his website and in social media, trying to point out that Mr Saraki has been always supporting protection of children, and girls in particular:
“What I can tell you is that one of the uppermost principles which I uphold as a Senator is the wellbeing and protection of children irrespective of their religious background or their social status. The girl child especially needs protection under our law, therefore any bill or legal provision which is aimed at promoting the rights of any child, the wellbeing of children generally, the prohibition of practices that inhibits the girl child and her potentials and the elimination of all forms of discrimination against any child will continue to receive my unflinching support.”
