‘Nothing Wrong Marrying 13-year-old’
Former Zamfara governor and presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sani Yerima, says he did nothing wrong marrying a 13-year old girl.
Mr Yerima justified marrying a 13-year-old Egyptian girl when he appeared on Channels TV on Tuesday
The 2009 marriage generated much criticisms among child rights activists at the time but Mr Yerima insists he did not contravene any Nigerian law.
Nothing Wrong Marrying 13-year-old
āIf I had done anything wrong, I would have been tried in court. NAPTIP wanted to try the case and they dropped the matter because I didnāt do anything wrong,ā Mr Yerima said.
He added that āthere is no law in Nigeria that determines when and how you get married. Muslims have Sharia, the Christians I donāt know what their doctrines say.ā
A two term governor of Zamfara State between 1999-2007, Mr Yerima, was the first governor to introduce Sharia Law later enforced in 12 northern states of Nigeria.
Critics argue that introduction of Sharia Law might have reinforced the bedrock of Islamic fundamentalism in the country.