The highly controversial Senate resolution supporting girl child
marriage came back to haunt one of its backers as the Senator
representing Ondo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly,
Ayo Akinyelure, broke down in tears before members of his constituency
in Akure on Monday as he apologised to them, claiming that the voted in
error.
The Senator was summoned by his constituents to clear the air over
his role in the controversial passage of a resolution to retain the
provisions of Section 29 (4) (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),
which states that a girl is deemed to be ‘full of age’ once she is
married. By implication, marriage determines the maturity of the child
whether she is up to 18-years or not.
Venue of the meeting, Adegbemile Hall, was besieged with politicians,
women groups and students, who carried placards in protest against what
they described as the legalisation of s*xual abuse of young girls;
which their representative had supported.
But Akinyelure, seeing that his attempt to calm frayed nerves and
convince the obviously angry crowd at the tension-soaked session, burst
into tears.
The Senator pleaded, explaining that he mistakenly pressed the wrong
button during the electronic voting exercise thinking that he was voting
against child marriage.
“I am very sorry for this costly mistake. I actually voted in error. I
pressed the ‘No’ button during the electronic voting session, thinking
that I was kicking against the early marriage. I can never support such
barbaric and wicked bill,” he explained.
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