Indications that another supposed obnoxious law that would promote same-sex marriage and gay relationship in Imo state is in the offing.
Fears that the controversial outlawed gay marriage Bill may be surreptitiously smuggled in and passed into law by the Imo State House of Assembly gathered momentum as the state legislature has flatly denied it never sat over a law that promotes abortion.
Trumpeta on Tuesday exclusively revealed about a section of Imo State of Nigeria, Law No 12 of 2012 which promotes abortion. The law which Governor Okorocha has given assents in Section (1) states “Every woman shall have the right to enjoy reproductive rights including the right to medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest and where the continued pregnancy endangers the life of the physical, mental psychological or emotional health of the mother”.
As discordant tunes greet the revelation about the Bill that was signed into Law on May 12, 2012, the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Ben Uwajumogu surprisingly denied that the state legislature never passed a law to legalize the act. Speaking on the floor of the House, during plenary session on resumption of legislative activities after two months break, Uwajumogu who failed to mention Section (1) that mentioned every woman’s right to abortion, hinged their decision on the fact that the law was only provided for the Reproductive Health right of every woman as included in the Bill to eliminate violence in private and public life of a female.
However, there are fears among residents of the State that the disgusting same-sex marriage may be surreptitiously enshrined in any of the in-coming Bills to encourage gay relationship even as trepidation has enveloped the lawmakers on condemnation of the law emanating from Churches and their leaders.
Several people who reacted on the Abortion law posited that if the lawmakers grant right to every woman to have the right to enjoy reproductive right by indulging in abortion when faced with cases of assault and rape, a similar law that protects rights of an individual to sex partner and marriage lifestyle could as well succeed.
The fear heightened when the leadership of the House on Tuesday gave reasons for stamping their authority on the law granting women right to abortion. The expected same-sex law gained momentum when it was discovered that both the various arms of the National Assembly including all the states of the federation rejected the Abortion Law but for Imo State who allowed it to sail. It was nunc dimitis for the law in a neighbouring state like Abia where concerned Catholic groups forced them to reject the Bill some years ago, only for Imo to accept it later. It was also reasoned that since the National Assembly rejected the gay marriage law, Imo State Government propelled by the State Assembly may consider it using legislative decoys applied in the Abortion Law. Since there is doubt whether the law passed through the normal legislative procedures from first hearing, second hearing on the floor of the House to Public Hearing and Committee of the whole House before final resolution, the fear further blossomed that the bisexual affair would follow suit.
Meanwhile, scores of armed policemen and security agencies took control of the Assembly Complex yesterday. Trumpeta correspondent who monitored events disclosed that anti-riot policemen numbering more than 300 and armed to the teeth were stationed at strategic positions to ward off suspected demonstration and possible invasion of the Assembly Complex by aggrieved Imolites.
The House did not offer reasons for the presence of armoured tanks at the Complex and dog-carrying policemen who frisked visitors to the new legislative chamber on Concorde Road opposite Heroes Square, Owerri.
Trumpeta however learnt that egg heads in the present administration including the House Leadership who were disturbed by the revelation met to tinker on ways of avoiding public condemnation. While a repeal of the sensitive section is being considered, an alternative measure to check protesters was employed in the interim.
As Imolites are yet to come to terms with the legalization of abortion in Imo State. One of the major antagonists of the Pro-Abortion Law, Catholic Medical Practitioners Association of Imo State has insisted that the Imo State House of Assembly and Governor Rochas Okorocha legalized abortion.
The doctors reaction is coming on the heels of denial by the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu. Speaking during resumption of the House, the Speaker explained details of the law, saying it has nothing to do with legalizing abortion, but a law aimed at eliminating violence, traditional harmful practices, discrimination against persons, etc.
Speaking to Trumpeta in an exclusive interview on the raging controversy, Chairman, Catholic Medical Practitioners Association of Imo State, Prince (Dr) Philip Njemanze insisted that the House legalized abortion, considering the contents of the law demanding the disqualification and resignation of the Speaker and members of the Imo House of Assembly.
Hear him “They want to confuse the masses. They want to turn what they did upside down. Any of them (lawmakers) who said they never made abortion a law should be disqualified from the House of Assembly. Did they not understand what they passed into law? Don’t they understand English language?
What they passed into law entails or implies that a woman is entitled to have an abortion even at the ninth month no matter how she conceived it. This is the worst form of abortion. With the law in place, there is no restriction for a woman to abort a feotus even at the ninth month”.
Njemanze explained that the section which gives the right to every woman to take decisions about her health needs and requirements implies that abortion is operational in Imo, irrespective of the circumstances that led to it.
He continued “It means a woman has the right to abortion even if she has a slight-headache, even at the ninth month”
Njemanze said the position of Catholic Medical Practitioners in Imo is that the law ought to be abrogated, stressing that the existence of the law encourages sell of ovarian eggs. “Because of the existence of the law, it gives ample opportunity for ovarian egg trafficking in the state and it is unfortunate that the lawmakers seem not to understand this fact. We shall resist it” he declared.
