In a surprising turn of events, Abdulamlik Sarkindaji, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, has called off the mass wedding that was to be held for 100 orphaned girls in his district.
Sarkindaji declared his intention to withdraw from the event, a decision that comes on the heels of a legal confrontation initiated by Uju Ohannaya, the Minister of Women’s Affairs.
The minister’s legal challenge aimed to put a stop to the wedding proceedings.
The speaker disclosed these developments in a press briefing on Tuesday, May 14, criticizing the minister for overstepping her bounds.
Furthermore, Sarkindaji suggested that the minister should assume financial responsibility for the wedding expenses.
Previously, it was reported that the speaker had committed to financing the dowries for the grooms, having secured all the necessary items to ensure the proper conduct of the marriages for the 100 girls.
He had given assurances that the girls would be provided with the same level of comfort in their new homes as any other bride would receive under Islamic marital customs.
