The Coalition of Youth and Civil Society Organizations in Niger State has advised the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, to apply decorum, civility and caution on what affects the faith and societal values of people in the country.
This Is coming on the heels of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja granting an injunction to stop the planned sponsorship of a mass wedding of over 100 girls by the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, in his constituency in the Mariga Local Government Area of the state.
The Convener of the group, Gambo Abubakar Mohammed, who gave the advice in Minna, said the effort of the Minister to stop the marriage will surely be futile.
He noted that the group will ensure that the injunction is quashed in the court, arguing that Ohanenye ignorantly jumped into a grey area for cheap political recognition.
“On this note, we are demanding for a written apology on five national newspapers and television stations to Niger state, people of Mariga LG and to the Speaker, Niger state house, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji for the disrepute brought on his personality.
“We are also calling on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the Minister of Women Affairs Uju Kennedy Ohanenye for her reckless statements against our faith as Muslims, Northern values and the speaker,”he said.
They also explained that the Speaker, out of magnanimity when approached by religious and traditional leaders, agreed to sponsor the marriage of the orphan girls and provided modest support for family livelihood.
The group further questioned why the minister was quiet when several other mass weddings were conducted in many northern states.