BAN ON SAME SEX MARRIAGE FINAL, SAYS SENATE PRESIDENT- DAVID MARK

The Nigerian Senate will not reconsider its ban on same sex marriage, Senate President Senator David Mark has said. He told a conference of Catholic Bishops that the Senate would not bow to pressure from international pressure groups to re-think its position, saying same-sex marriage was against the laws of Nigeria. Mark further told the bishops the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria(CBCN) Tuesday in Otukpo. Benue state, that same sex was alien to “our tradition and indeed offensive to humanity.”

A statement Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, said the Senate President appealed to the bishops to use prayer as a means of containing the numerous socio- political and economic challenges confronting the nation. He quoted Mark as saying,” The Church should continue to use her weapons of prayer and fasting ; divine and human resources to actualize transformation both in our hearts and our society . Nigeria needs moral and spiritual revolution. And this is the time “.

The Senate President, according to the statement, noted that the present challenges and expectations were high, but promised to “do our best to live up to the challenges”. Mumeh said, “Senator Mark canvassed that every thing humanly possible should be done within the ambit of the Law to nurture our democracy in order to yield the needed dividend for the citizenry. “He cautioned against yielding to the pressures of  unpatriotic bodies who are determined to destroy  the peace and unity of Nigeria,” the statement added.

In their Separate remarks President of CBCN Ignatius Kaigama and Archbishop of Abuja diocese John Cardinal Onaiyekan harped on peace and harmonious relationship between and among various religious groups saying  that all Nigerians should have the right to practice his or her faith without fear of intimidation or molestation. The duo asked government at all levels to do more to protect lives and property of citizens even as they pledged to continue to pray for Nigeria and her people, the statement added.

Source; Guardian Newspapers.