President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor yesterday in a press release expressed unhappiness with Senator Ahmed Yerima for his (Yerima’s) argument in the senate that the proposal for the deletion of section 29 (4) (b) is at variance with Islamic Law.
Oritsejafor, in a statement by Kenny Ashaka, his Special Assistant, Media and Public Affairs said he finds that argument offensive because “it presupposes that Nigeria, a secular state, is populated only by Muslims.”
Yerima who is former governor of Zamfara State forced the senate president, David Mark to reverse himself and put to vote again the proposed amendment to the section last week prompting the senate to pass the resolution to amend the provision of section 29 (4) (b) of the 1999 constitution which states that, “any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.”
Oritsejafor lamented saying this implies that if amended, a girl of any age can be constitutionally allowed to marry.
“Yerima is again, advertently stirring up another controversy about the supremacy of Islamic Law to the Nigerian constitution after the one he raised when he introduced Sharia, the Islamic Legal code, in Zamfara State.
“I think the problem is that people like Senator Yerima are approaching Qur’anic teachings from extremes and disturbing the balance. It makes me wonder the source of their emotions and thoughts that nurture them.
“CAN rejects this resolution of the senate and calls on the upper chamber to be more reasonable by revisiting the issue while it calls on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist this provocative resolution before our female children are dehumanized.
“By the grace of God, I will, personally mobilize Nigerians and lead the street protest against this oppressive and dehumanizing resolution.
“We Christians also have Canon Law which frowns on marriage of girls who are not of age. Christianity abhors such marriages. The protest will be soon.”
