Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, has fired back at Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, for taking legal action to stop his sponsorship of a wedding for 100 girls orphaned by banditry in his constituency.
Speaking from his office in Minna, Niger State, yesterday, the Speaker denounced the Minister’s swift legal action, labeling it as premature and misinformed, insisting that her criticisms tarnish his reputation without understanding his constituents’ needs.
“The Minister’s approach in handling the issue is very wrong, hasty and bad because she does not know anything about my constituency and their needs and has no right to criticize my decision to help my people.
“The Minister should have reached out to me and discussed with me and I would have accepted whatever suggestions she made instead of talking to the media and tarnishing my image. I value any help and assistance that would come to my people. I am disappointed with her actions and disheartened by it.
“I am a typical Hausa man and what is out of order in what I have done? Why is this issue being over flogged? I have pledged to take care of orphans in my constituency and that is what I am doing. If the federal government through the Ministry of Women Affairs wants to extend their helping hands, let them do so, they are welcome.
“Where was the Minister when my people were facing insecurity? Let her go to the local government; let her find out who those girls are. They are not underaged and if she wants to help them, she is welcome. She should stop tarnishing my image. I am a public figure and the Speaker of Niger state House of Assembly,” Sarkindagi was quoted as saying by Vanguard.
Meanwhile, the Minister has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police and sought legal recourse to intervene in the proposed wedding scheduled for Friday, the 24th of this month.
