V.P. Atiku in the final years in the position had a very public falling out with the then president, Olusegun Obasanjo and ran against, President Obasanjo's anointed protégé, the late President Umaru Yar'Adua, who passed away in office last year.
Africa has a very poor record on gay rights and in most African states homosexuality is a criminal offence and most of all the general African public is not accepting of the lifestyle. Terming a politician as a homosexual most often hurts his/her chances of winning that office.
Nigerian newspaper, ThisDay is reporting that a group called National Gay Forum, is backing Atiku's bid for presidency, not because of any other reasons but that they believe in his policies and see them as beneficial for Nigeria but unfortunately, that might hurt his aspirations in a country like Nigeria which recently voted to maintain it's anti-gay policies in place. The endorsement might make Atiku favorable to Western nations advocating for equal rights for all individuals but I personally doubt that the Atiku presidential campaign team wants the endorsement of a group that may be detrimental to it's bid for the highest office in Nigeria.
I personally feel that all individuals are equal and despite my heterosexuality, I have no prejudice against the lifestyle or choice of sexual preference of another person.
What do you think? Will this endorsement help, do damage or have no effect on Vice President Atiku's campaign for presidency of Nigeria?
Leave your comments please
Related Articles: http://www.thisdayonline.com/
http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-583851.0.html
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE70A0HO20110111?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
http://www.newnigeriannews.com/cover_3.htm
it definitely will...atleast i hope it will... bcos if it actually helps and he wins den he wud definitely sign de gay rights law, which we really dont need right now... cos it will cause yet another dent in the already weakening moral status of the country (increase in perversion)we already have enuf with all de rituals going on, we dnt need dis again.. #real talk
ReplyDeleteI hoped to have gotten a lot more comments but this is good enough. It seems either all of Nigeria agrees with you or at least most of it. The results are in and obviously Jonathan is the victor! I cannot say I am not happy because I also hoped for this result but in the elections itself, he faces Ribadu, a worthy and credible foe at any level. This might turn out to be our greatest election yet!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I don't think homosexuality is a choice.
ReplyDeleteWho in their right mind would chose to be gay?
I can't think of anyone.
Secondly, after just reading your other article about the 1st vs 3rd world countries, it's exactly that kind of intolerant attitude what makes certain countries simply 3rd world.
Their utter and total hatred of anything different then them when in fact it doesn't even affect them.
As a great comedian once said; If you're against gay marriage then don't marry a gay!
My country was the first to legalise gay marriage (and a whole bunch of other things come at that) and has it fallen in some abyss of perversion and debauchery to the likes of Soddom & Gomorrah?
No.
In fact it is one of the richest countries in Europe, with lowest unemployment, and one of the highest standards of living in the world and some of the best education as well.
I think Nigeria ought to focus on more pressing matters at hand (crime, corruption, etc. like any other country in the world)
Killing gays is hardly the answer to Nigeria's (or any other country's) problems.
Well said!
ReplyDelete