PDP alleges deal by Buhari, West to legalise same sex marriage

Accuses APC of plot to attack private lives of Jonathan, others in video documentary

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned an alleged deal between the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and some Western countries to repeal the Same-Sex Prohibition Act and legalise same-sex marriage in Nigeria.

Briefing journalists in Abuja Wednesday in Abuja, Media Director of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, disclosed that the Western nations made the request as a condition for their support for Buhari’s presidential ambition.

President Goodluck Jonathan had in January 2014 signed a bill that criminalised same-sex relationships, defying Western pressure over gay rights and provoking criticism from the United States (U.S.), France and other Western countries.

The bill, which contains penalties of up to 14 years in prison and bans gay marriage, same-sex “amorous relationships” and membership of gay rights groups, was passed by the National Assembly in May 2013.

Explaining the motives for the alleged deal, Fani-Kayode stated: “The second issue we want to touch on today is the shameful proposition that was made to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari by the representatives of a number of Western governments when he was in the United Kingdom (UK) for a prolonged stay. He had appealed to them for support and to get their endorsement. He had talks with the representatives of at least four Western countries. The leaders of those countries made an offer to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and we are reliably informed that he has put the offer under consideration.

“The proposition and offer was that if he was prepared to support legislation in Nigeria to allow same-sex marriage and if he was prepared to repeal the anti-gay laws in Nigeria, they will, in return, endorse, support and fund him, initially covertly and eventually publicly, at the right time.

“Instead of outrightly rejecting these offers and spurning this proposition, to our utter shock and consternation, Gen. Buhari apparently refused to rule it out and has put the matter under consideration. Instead of him to say NO, he assured them that he would consider these two things. We believe that this is a matter that ought to be brought to the attention of the Nigerian people as a matter of urgency.

“The APC are so desperate to ensuring that Gen. Buhari becomes the President of this country that they are actually prepared to consider the scrapping of all anti-gay or anti-homosexual legislations and at the same time, endorsing and supporting fresh legislation that would allow same-sex marriage in our country. They are considering this despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of the Nigerian people find same-sex marriage and, indeed, homosexuality repugnant and unacceptable.

“We are using this occasion to challenge Gen. Buhari to come clean and to tell the Nigerian people whether this is true and whether, in the unlikely event of his being elected President, he is seriously considering scrapping the anti-homosexual laws in our country and pushing through new legislation which would allow same sex marriage.”

He also alleged that it had uncovered television documentary ‎packaged by the APC to destroy the private life of Jonathan and top leaders of the PDP-led government.

He added: “We invited you here today to intimate the Nigerian people, through your esteemed media organisations, about a despicable and wicked agenda that is being orchestrated by the opposition to scandalise, undermine and bring into disrepute our candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan (GCFR), his wife, the First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan, our Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Maduekwe and other key government functionaries and members of his administration.

“The special operations and intelligence wing of my Directorate has been reliably informed that the opposition is planning to air a documentary about the private lives of President Jonathan, the First Lady and the Minister of Petroleum Resources. The documentary is riddled with falsehood and it is vulgar, smutty, cheap, shameful and salacious. This initiative is being spearheaded by the entire leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and is being funded and organised by two serving governors and one former governor who controls his state through his hand-picked stooge.

“Our response to this initiative is one of utter repugnance. That the opposition has degenerated to such a point that in response to legitimate questions that were raised about the record in public office of their Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and their de facto leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in two major and widely viewed documentaries, the only recourse they have, rather than answering the questions put in those documentaries, is to try to humiliate, shame and disgrace our presidential candidate by making the most baseless and scandalous accusations about his private life. The truth is that this shameful course of action will not work and we shall not be distracted. Neither will we lose any sleep over it.

“We are, however, by this press conference, sending a clear signal to the three APC leaders that are funding and spearheading this initiative that it will not in any way serve the interest of their party or the interest of their Presidential candidate if they insist on treading that path or toeing that deplorable line. In the event of them insisting on treading this dangerous and dishonorable course, we reserve the right to respond fully and use all legitimate means to expose the inherent evil that these three individuals habitually and continuously manifest in both their private lives and whilst in public office.

“The truth is that they can say what they like about President Goodluck Jonathan, his family members and those close to him but one thing they cannot say is that, unlike one of the three individuals that is behind this disgraceful initiative, President Jonathan does not show an unhealthy interest in the affairs of little boys and he does not indulge in gross and perverse intimate acts with them in his spare time in an obscene, indecent, shameful and completely unacceptable manner.

“They can say whatever they like about our candidate but, unlike one of the three individuals that are behind this reprehensible initiative, it is not President Goodluck Jonathan that ended up eloping with and eventually marrying the house girl of his former leader.

“They can say whatever they like about President Jonathan but it is not our President who drove his own father into political oblivion, broke the poor man’s heart and sent him to an early grave in pain, tears, defeat and shame. Presidential Jonathan did not do any of these things. It is those that have insisted on engaging in this shameful and repugnant initiative that have done these things. They know who they are and, for now, we need not mention their names. At the appropriate time, we shall mention names and expose every aspect of the sordid life styles of these individuals and at that time the Nigerian people will judge for themselves.‎”