A pro-life organisation, AYUBSON Life Foundation, has urged Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun to withhold assent to the Ogun State Safe Termination of Pregnancy Bill, 2026, passed by the state House of Assembly on September 24.
The foundation made the call during a peaceful protest in Abeokuta, the state capital, arguing that the proposed law could weaken protections for unborn children.
The Bill, numbered H.B. No. 036/OG/2026, was passed during a plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, following consideration of a report by the House Committee on Health, chaired by Wahab Haruna.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish conditions for safe pregnancy termination and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, placing it at the centre of a debate over reproductive healthcare, the protection of unborn children and Nigeria’s existing abortion laws.
Dressed in white T-shirts, the protesters carried placards bearing messages such as “Say No to Abortion, Say Yes to Life”, “Protect Unborn Babies, Support Families” and “Our Children, Our Future: Protect Them”.
Speaking to journalists, the foundation’s founder and Executive Director, Yusuf Ayuba, said the demonstration was intended to draw the governor’s attention to the organisation’s objections before he decides whether to assent to the Bill.
Ayuba questioned the compatibility of the proposed legislation with Nigeria’s existing legal framework governing abortion, insisting that the state should prioritise protecting unborn children and supporting women facing difficult pregnancies.
“I do not believe abortion is the best option or the solution. Women need support. Those experiencing crisis pregnancies need medical care, practical assistance, counselling and guidance,” he said.
“We are appealing to the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, not to sign or implement the Pregnancy Termination Bill. We believe that it will cause more harm than good.”
Ayuba urged the state government to address poverty, hunger and unemployment while strengthening support systems for women and families.
He said the organisation became aware of the Bill late in the legislative process, prompting it to launch what he described as an urgent public awareness campaign.
“What baffles us most is that the people who will be affected by this Bill have no voice and cannot speak for themselves. Many of those who will be affected are not even aware that the Bill has been passed,” he said.
Ayuba disclosed that the foundation had submitted petitions to relevant authorities and hoped the governor would consider its concerns before making a decision.
The foundation’s objections centre on its opposition to pregnancy termination on grounds of protecting unborn life, while the Bill’s stated objectives include reducing maternal illness and deaths through regulated access to safe pregnancy termination.
