By Abiola Olawale
Following the controversies that have trailed the signing of the Samoa Agreement, the House of Representatives has called out to the Federal Government, demanding the suspension of the implementation of the deal.
The House during its plenary on Tuesday told the government to stop the implementation of the Samoa Agreement pending the outcome of an investigation into the details of the deal.
The green chamber passed the resolution following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the Minority whip, Hon Sani Madaki and 87 other lawmakers.
Moving the motion, Madaki said the agreement violates the nation’s law on LGTBQ and same-sex marriage.
Supporting the motion, Hon Ghali Tijani from Kano, said the House should reject the Samoa Agreement in its “entirety”.
The majority whip of the house, Hon Bello Kumo, in his submission, said the federal government should rescind the signing of the agreement and tender an apology to Nigerians.
The New Diplomat reports that the Samoa agreement had sparked controversies following reports that some lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) provisions found their way into the pact.
According to the European Council, the Samoa Agreement is the overarching framework for European Union (EU) relations with African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries.
The agreement serves as a new legal framework for EU relations with 79 countries, including African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries.
The agreement covers six priority areas, which are democracy and human rights; sustainable economic growth and development; climate change; human and social development; peace and security; and migration and mobility.
The agreement was officially signed on November 15, 2023, by the EU and its member states and Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) members in Samoa, a country in Oceania.
Nigeria did not sign the agreement initially, as the federal government said it was still studying the pact.
The new agreement replaces the Cotonou Agreement, which was signed in 2000.
However, following the controversies that greeted the agreement, the Minister of Information and National Orientation,
Mohammed Idris clarified that the federal government ensured that the agreement did not contravene the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and other extant laws.
The government has also explained that the agreement is strictly for the economic development of the country — as against claims that it contains provisions for same-sex marriage.
