The member representing Ondo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, wept before members of his constituency in Akure on Monday as he apologised to them that he voted in error to support the senate resolution backing marriage of underage girls.
Akinyelure was summoned by
his constituents to explain his
role in the controversial passage
of a resolution to retain the
provision of Section 29 (4) (b) of
the 1999 Constitution, which
states that a married underage
girl is deemed to be an adult.
Politicians, women groups and
students had besieged the
Adegbemile Hall, venue of the
meeting, with placards to
protest against what they
described as the legalisation of
sexual abuse of young girls,
which their representative had
supported.
But Akinyelure burst into tears
as he laboured to convince the
obviously enraged crowd at the
tension-soaked session that he
mistakenly pressed the wrong
button during the electronic
voting exercise thinking that he
was voting against child
marriage.
The Senator said he had aligned
his thought with that of other
senators, who supported the
resolution that the provision
should be expunged from the
constitution. He added that the resolution was paraphrased again in a way that confused him to mean that pressing the 'No' button would mean voting against the resolution that the resolution should be retained in the constitution.
He said, "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."
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