The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to halt the implementation of the Samoa Agreement until all controversial clauses are clarified to ensure they do not violate Nigerian law.
The House has also directed its Committees on National Planning and Economic Development, Justice, Treaties, Protocol, and Agreements to engage with relevant government agencies to resolve ambiguities in the agreement.
This decision followed the adoption of a motion by the Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki, and 88 other representatives, who highlighted several allegedly offensive clauses in the agreement.
During a plenary session, the House passed the resolution after considering a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Sani Madaki, the minority whip, and 87 other lawmakers.
The agreement has recently sparked controversy due to reports that it contains provisions related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights, which are against Nigerian laws.
In his lead debate, Madaki expressed concerns about clauses that purportedly promote LGBTQ rights. He stated, “On June 28, 2024, the Federal Government signed the Samoa Agreement with the European Union (EU) to boost food security and inclusive economic development, among other areas. However, the agreement allegedly includes clauses that compel underdeveloped and developing nations to support the LGBT community as a condition for financial and other support from advanced societies.”
Madaki further raised concerns about Article 97 of the Agreement, which he described as a supremacy clause that violates Nigeria’s sovereignty. He said, “Article 97 states that no treaty, convention, agreement, or arrangement between EU member states and OACPS members shall impede the implementation of this Agreement.”
Madaki also highlighted other articles in the Samoa Agreement that could be detrimental to Nigeria’s interests and values. He pointed out Article 2.5, which mandates the promotion of gender equality, and criticized the phrase “gender equality” as a “Trojan horse” for introducing immorality, such as homosexuality, lesbianism, and transgenderism.
“The signing of such an agreement with these clauses violates our sovereignty and contradicts Section 124 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. The Federal Government may have signed the agreement without thorough consultations and consideration of potential long-term consequences,” Madaki said.
Nigeria’s Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA), enacted in 2014, prohibits LGBT rights and criminalizes same-sex marriage, fueling the uproar over the Samoa Agreement.
The European Council describes the Samoa Agreement as the overarching framework for EU relations with African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries. It aims to foster democracy, human rights, sustainable economic growth, climate change mitigation, human and social development, peace and security, and migration and mobility.
The agreement was officially signed on November 15, 2023, by the EU, its member states, and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) in Samoa, Oceania. Nigeria did not initially sign the agreement, stating it was still under review.
This new agreement replaces the Cotonou Agreement signed in 2000. The signing of the Samoa Agreement has been controversial, with claims it compels developing nations to support LGBTQ rights.
In response to the controversy, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, clarified that the Federal Government ensured the agreement did not contravene the 1999 Constitution and other extant laws. Idris emphasized that the agreement focuses on the country’s economic development and does not contain provisions for same-sex marriage.
