…By Joseph Benjamin for TDPel Media.
Senator Yerima Defends Controversial Marriage to Underage Girl, Claims She was Older
Former Zamfara State Governor, Senator Sani Ahmad Yerima, has justified his decision to marry a 14-year-old Egyptian girl several years ago.
Yerima faced significant backlash globally when it was revealed that he married the underage girl (with some reports suggesting she was 13) at the national mosque in Abuja, while he was a sitting senator.
The controversy led to a Senate investigation at the time.
In an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Yerima disclosed that his Egyptian bride was actually older and is currently pursuing a master’s degree.
Disputing claims that she was 13 at the time of their wedding, the lawmaker stated that she was around “14, 15” years old.
Yerima criticized the Child Rights Act of 2003 and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act of 2015, asserting that any act passed by the National Assembly must be adopted by state assemblies to become law.
He claimed that since the act had not been domesticated by the Northern states, it was not legally binding.
The former governor accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of attempting to impose the Child Rights Act by manipulating its passage in the National Assembly.
However, Yerima argued that no state in the North had domesticated or enacted the act.
When asked about children’s right to education and other freedoms protected by the Child Rights Act, Yerima maintained that marriage does not hinder education.
Regarding the educational level of his Egyptian wife, he stated that she is currently pursuing a master’s degree.
Responding to allegations that he paid $100,000 as dowry for his Egyptian wife, Yerima clarified that it was not solely dowry.
He explained that the amount covered the provision of a house, dowry, and the cost of various items, totaling N15 million at the time.
Yerima’s defense of his controversial marriage has reignited debates surrounding child rights, domestication of laws, and cultural practices in Nigeria.