House of Representatives Calls for Suspension of Samoa Agreement Implementation
The House of Representatives has requested the federal government to suspend the implementation of the Samoa Agreement. Additionally, the House has resolved to investigate the agreement signed by the federal government on June 28.
The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Sani Madaki, the minority whip, and 87 other lawmakers.
The agreement recently sparked controversy following reports that some lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) provisions had found their way into the pact, The Bureau Newspaper reports.
What is the Samoa Agreement?
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 those in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
The agreement covers six priority areas:
- Democracy and human rights
- Sustainable economic growth and development
- Climate change
- Human and social development
- Peace and security
- Migration and mobility
The agreement was officially signed on November 15, 2023, by the EU, its member states, and Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) members in Samoa, a country in Oceania. Nigeria did not initially sign the agreement as the federal government stated it was still studying the pact.
The new agreement replaces the Cotonou Agreement, which was signed in 2000.
Controversy and Clarifications
The signing of the agreement has been dogged by claims that it seeks to compel developing nations to support LGBTQ agitations. However, these claims have been established to be false.
Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, clarified that the federal government ensured 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, countering claims that it contains provisions for same-sex marriage.