ASHENEWS reports that the Speaker of the Niger state House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji on Tuesday, said that he will not attend the mass wedding of 100 girls orphaned by banditry in Mariga local government area.
According to him, his gesture to support the girls in getting married is being misconstrued by critics saying that he only meant good for the people of his constituency.
The Speaker also defended on the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, over her decision to go to court and get an injunction to stop the wedding saying that he is not threatened by her stand and moves.
He challenged the Minister to take up the responsibility of catering for the girls needs since she feels so concerned about them adding that the move to conduct the wedding was the idea of traditional and religious leaders in his constituency.
The Speaker expressed his displeasure of the Minister’s stance to newsmen in his office at the state House of Assembly saying that the Minister never called him to discuss about the issue with him or ask for his opinion on any other way that the issue of the girls can be addressed but rather, she took to the media and started tarnishing his image.
“I am a typical Hausa man. What is out of order in what I have done, why is this issue being over flogged. I have pledged to take care of orphans and that is what I am doing. If the federal government through the Ministry of Women Affairs wants to extend their helping hands, let them do so, they are welcome.
” Where was the Minister when my people were facing insecurity? The Minister is not from the north and does not know what I have been doing for my constituency. Let her go to the local government, let her find out who those girls are. They are not underaged. If she wants to help them, she is welcome. She should stop tarnishing my image. I am a public figure and the Speaker of Niger state House of Assembly.
“The approach of the Minister is bad. She should have reached out to me and discuss with me, I would have accepted whatever suggestions she made because I value any help and assistance that would come to my people. I am disappointed with her actions and disheartened by it.
“And what I am doing is never meant to be a constituency project. There are other philanthropists who have also donated money towards this initiative and I am not a poor man.”
It would be recalled that on Monday, the Minister of Women Affairs Kennedy-Ohanenye, while briefing newsmen in Abuja described the plans of thee Speaker as “unacceptable” emphasising that a full-scale investigation has commenced on the issue.
“I want to let the Honorable Speaker of House in Niger states to know that this is totally unacceptable by Federal Minister Of Women Affairs and by the government totally unacceptable.
“Because there is something called the Child’s Right Act and I said it from the onset, that is no more business as usual.NThese 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.disclosed that she has approached the court of law to stop the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji from marrying 100 girls off to prospective suitors”, she had stated.
The Speaker in explaining said, “The traditional and religious leaders approached me and I decided to support the girls. They initially submitted the names of 210 girls to me and I told them there was no means for such so we cut it down to 100 names. Does the Minister want to say that these leaders are wrong?
” They told me that I would bless the marriage and I told them I cannot attend every marriage so they should do it in a day and I would grace the occasion and that is the reason for the mass wedding. There is no abuse of anyone or forcing of anyone in this case.”
The Speaker then said that though he will no longer attend the mass wedding but whatever support that have been given to the girls remains and he will not collect it back.
” I have wanted to grace the occasion but I won’t do that again since helping my people have become a crime. But I have advanced the support and I will not reclaim or withdraw whatever support or donations I have given to the leaders and the parents. If they wish to get married, they can, if not, they can use the money and the items for something else”, he stated.
