Re: You Can’t Islamize Nigeria’ – Heated clash amongst Reps Members over proposed Sharia Law Bill
Following a news report yesterday October 25, 2024 by Emmanuel Abiodun in National Daily Newspaper, Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA) applauds Christian Senators as well as many other lawmakers, who opposed the Sharia Law Bill aimed at amending the Nigerian Constitution to expand the application of Sharia law beyond personal matters.
This Sharia Law Bill has been rejected in the House of Representatives. The proposed amendment sought to revise sections 24, 262, and 277 by removing the term “personal” from the context of Sharia law. It’s a bill seeking to make Sharia law not just a personal matter in the constitution. This bill has been rejected in the House of Representatives, and the nays had it though the opposition to the bill was fierce.
The sponsor of the bill, Aliyu Missau, said commercial entities find it difficult to operate, noting that the constitution did not envisage entities like Jaiz and Taj banks, as such the bill seeks to amend sections 24, 262 and 277 of the Constitution by removing “personal” in the application of Sharia law.
However, many lawmakers interpreted the move as an attempt to broaden the scope of Sharia law, which is often limited to marriage, inheritance and other personal issues.
Bamidele Salam, a lawmaker from Osun State, said the bill should be rejected because it has the potential to derail the freedom enjoyed by all religions in Nigeria. “We must be careful with any changes to the Constitution that could further widen divisions in Nigeria.
In any case, the matters my colleague seeks to address are already covered by existing laws,” he said. Similarly, Awaji-Inombek Abiante said the bill should be stepped down because of the danger it holds.
On the other side, several northern lawmakers supported the bill, stating that the proposal is harmless. Saidu Abdullah, Abdullah Ado, Ahmad Satomi and others spoke in support of the bill.
However, when it was put to question by Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu, the “nays” had it.
Bishop Professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, Secretary General, Elders’ Council therefore says,
“NSCEA congratulates Nigerians on this landmark decision making by the House of Representatives, because Nigeria is a secular state and cannot in way accommodate such move to be islamized.”
She prays that the Almighty God would continue to guide both lower and upper chambers with wisdom and grace to pilot the affairs of the nation in order for peace to reign.
©CDA News
