Samoa agreement has nothing on gay rights, $150 billion deal – Nigerian govt

The federal government has dismissed a newspaper report claiming that the Samoa partnership agreement signed 28 June has endorsed the rights of Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) people in Nigeria.

It also rejected the claims that Nigeria would receive $150 billion for entering into the deal.

The Minister of Budget and Planning, Atiku Bagudu, clarified this at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the minister, along with his information and national orientation counterpart, Mohammed Idris, had called the conference to react to a report by the Daily Trust Newspapers.

NAN also reports that the medium claimed in the report that the federal government signed an agreement with clauses requiring Nigeria to endorse the rights of LGBTQI people.

It further said that the populous African nation would pocket $150 billion for endorsing the deal.

The report has sparked social, religious and cultural tension with the allegations becoming the topics in sermons in mosques and churches.

The minister recalled that the agreement, generally referred to as the Samoa agreement, was signed at the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium, on 28 June.

The agreement’s details indicated that the partnership is between the European Union and its member states on one hand and members of OACPCS on the other.

Negotiations on the agreement began in 2018 and it was signed on 15 November 2018 by all 27 EU member states and 47 of the 79 OACPS states.

The African Regional Protocol on the deal consists of two parts: a framework for cooperation and areas of cooperation that include sustainable economic growth, environment protection, and human rights protection, among others.

Reacting to the medium’s report on the matter, Mr Bagudu said there was no truth in it.

He said that there was nowhere in the document where $150 billion was mentioned.

He also said that the agreement did not mention LGBTQ or the rights of people involved in such activities.

He declared that President Bola Tinubu was a proud Nigerian and would never sign any document that could hurt its laws and constitution.

He said that the agreement was seeking to foster cooperation between EU’s 27 members and OACPC with 79 nations.

“The partnership is about trade agreements, human rights and environmental promotion,” he enthused.

He said Nigeria signed after extensive reviews and consultations by the interministerial committee convened by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that of
Justice.

He said Nigeria had made it clear that any provision inconsistent with its laws would be null and void, and that is, thus, what the government has to say on the issue of same-sex marriage.

“There is an existing law against that since 2014.

“It is necessary to assure Nigerians that Tinubu’s administration, being a rule-based government, will not enter into any international agreement that will be detrimental to the interest of the country and its citizens,” he said.

He said Nigeria has entered into many other agreements that have benefited the country in the areas of water, sanitation, education, and agriculture, among others.

According to him, the Samoa agreement is focused on economic development, security, environment, migration, mobility and climate change.

Other areas included investment opportunities, sustainable development and mutually beneficial cooperation, among others.

He said that no article supported the rights of LGBTQ, declaring that everything signed was in tandem with Nigeria’s laws.

“President Tinubu is non-apologetic about his respect for our diversities and wouldn’t want to do anything that will hurt anyone.

“President Tinubu did not authorise any agreement that can undermine our constitution or laws.

“We did not sign anything that has a clause that challenges our laws.

“We are always conscious of our sovereignty; we respect our two religions,” he declared.

He urged the media to be truthful and patriotic in the handling of reports so as to protect national interest.

Mr Bagudu reminded the media that development partners were also sensitive to media reports.

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“Let us not ridicule ourselves and scare international investors. Nigerians should be allowed to know the truth,” he said.

He reminded the media that hardworking Nigerians were helping the nation secure foreign investments, support, and cooperation.

“We should not undermine their efforts and discourage them from putting in their best for the nation,” he said.

(NAN)