Niger Speaker suspends mass wedding for orphaned girls after Women Affairs Minister’s intervention

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulamlik Sarkindaji, has ordered the suspension of his planned mass wedding of 100 orphan girls in his constituency following the intervention of the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye.

Sarkindaji had last week, announced his intention to marry off the girls whose parents were killed by bandits and terrorists.

In the announcement, the Speaker had said he would pay the dowry for the grooms as well as take care of all expenses.

The news had elicited diverse views from Nigerians including Kennedy-Ohanenye who petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Sunday Egbetokun, seeking a stop to the planned wedding.

However, in a u-turn following the public outrage, Sarkindaji said he had stopped the planned mass wedding.

The Speaker who disclosed this during a media briefing on Tuesday in Minna, said he took the decision following the action of the Minister who dragged him to court to halt the wedding.

The Speaker said though he had already made funds available to the girls’ parents through the traditional leaders and clerics of his constituency, he would not withdraw the funds.

He pointed out that his motive for wanting to sponsor the wedding was the state of poverty of the girls’ parents.

Sarkindaji however, accused l the Minister of overstepping her official boundary.

“The Minister has decided to drag me to court over this matter, which I believe is beyond the scope of her office,” Sarkindaji stated.

“I have made the funds available to the girls’ families, and I will not retract my support,” he declared.

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