The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Community in Nigeria has thrown its weight behind Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
In a statement signed by its president, Jasper B. E., the group said it came to this decision after assessing all tbe candidates, noting that Obi is the most LGBT-friendly.
Jasper said the Obi presidency has been further strengthened by his promise of a speedy repeal of the repressive Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2014 and other legislations.
According to him, the former Anambra State governor, during a meeting with its leadership, promised to promote the secularity of the state by helping to abolish cultural practices that are inimical to the existence of the Community as well as putting a stop to the implementation of Sharia Law throughout the federation.
“The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Community in Nigeria has found renewed hope in a future where we will live unchallenged, free of threat to life and unafraid of discrimination once the Labour Party candidate for the presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi is sworn in as the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are going to ensure this by massively voting for him and mobilizing persons of similar persuasion, who are presently forced to be in hiding, to come out and ensure a Peter Obi victory,” Jasper said.
“We have, as a consequence, formally collapsed our Community into the OBIdient Movement for the electioneering period even though our members have been part of the Movement from the onset.
“Our resolve stemmed from the assurances and guarantees from Mr. Obi after he espoused his vision of an egalitarian Nigeria to us at a meeting where he outlined how every Nigerian, irrespective of orientation, is allowed to thrive and recognized on the basis of their talents and what they can contribute to the economic growth of the country.
“The LGBT Community in Nigeria, therefore, hereby endorses Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party as its preferred candidate, whom it would vote for in the February 2023 Presidential Election on account of being the most LGBT-friendly candidate based on our assessment of all those contesting. No other candidate has been able to clearly articulate the protection of our members as Mr. Obi did.
“Our confidence in an Obi presidency has been further strengthened by his promise of a speedy repeal of the repressive Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2014 and other legislations that hostile homophobes have exploited to make life a living hell for us in Nigeria. This 2014 Act is the singular piece of legislation that is being used as the greatest weapon for legitimizing state-backed attacks on our persons and community. We are eager to see it go and only an Obi presidency will guarantee us that.
“We would like to clarify that our preference of Mr. Obi is not all about his global view of sexuality and sexual orientation because he has shown us that he is in tune with the realities of contemporary times. At the meeting with the leadership of our community, in addition to his assurances to protect the Community, he also promised to promote the secularity of the state by helping to abolish cultural practices that are inimical to the existence of the Community as well as putting a stop to the implementation of Sharia Law throughout the federation.
“We welcome Mr. Obi’s promise to usher Nigeria into the same socio-psychological era as the advanced countries of the world where the LGBT Community is not under the constant threat of repression. We assure him that our contributions to the economic rebirth he is promising Nigerians would be glaring for all to see. The medieval mindset of hounding the LGBT Community has no place in an age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that Mr. Obi wants Nigeria to tap into.”
The LGBT Community, therefore, assured the Labour Party candidate that “its members would be able to increase their contributions to the country once the stigmatization, harassment and criminalization of their orientation become things of the past under him as president.”
Jasper added: “We further assure our dear incoming president that we shall leverage our international connection and network to attract foreign direct investment into the country being that some of these investment potentials were blocked on account of the homophobic stance of past and present governments, which will not continue under Mr. Obi as president, going by his promises to us.”