President Goodluck
Jonathan said Nigeria will remain committed to all rulings of the International
Court of Justice (ICJ) in resolving international disputes.
Addressing the first-ever High-Level Plenary
Session of the United Nations on the Rule of Law yesterday in New York,
President Jonathan said Nigeria will continue to obey ICJ rulings while calling
on nations not to pick and select rulings to observe.
His commitment to the UN Assembly came in the
wake of growing calls for the Federal Government to reopen the case on Bakassi
following fresh fact that may have been unearthed.
Nigeria has barely 17 days to re-open its case
under Article 61 of the ICJ statute of 1946 in respect of the Bakassi Peninsula
which the international court ceded to Cameroon on October 10, 2002.
Presidential spokesman Reuben Abatiin a
statement quoted Jonathan as saying “Nigeria recognises the important role of
the International Court of Justice and other international tribunals in the
peaceful resolution of international disputes.
“The work of the ICJ and other international
criminal tribunals has contributed to the promotion of world peace and security
as well as ending impunity around the globe by holding accountable, those
responsible for grave violations of international and humanitarian law.
“Member States should therefore continue to
provide support for these international adjudicatory mechanisms to enable them
discharge their respective mandates.”
The Minister of Information Labaran Maku had
said at a programme organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Abuja last
week that Nigeria’s position on the Bakassi Peninsula was still in conformity
with the outcome of the International Court of Justice.
But many individuals and groups have called on
the federal government to reopen the case believing that the country still is
in possession of fresh fact to reclaim the oil rich territory, now under
Cameroonian sovereignty.
The Nigerian Bar Association, at the end of
its 52nd Annual General Conference which held in August in Abuja, issued a
communiqué in which it recommended that the Federal Government should revisit
the judgement by applying to that court to review the judgement under one of
the provisions in the statute that set up that court.
The said provision states that an aggrieved
party can re-apply to the court for the review of its judgement on the grounds
that fresh facts have emerged which necessitated the review.
But such application for review needs to be
done within 10 years of the delivery of the judgement. At the time the NBA gave
its recommendation on August 31, Nigeria still had only six weeks before the
expiration of the 10 years of the judgment.
“That the NBA is aware that there are grounds
upon which the Government of Nigeria may legitimately apply for a revision of
the ICJ judgment of 10th October 2002, and having adjudged those grounds (or
fresh facts that were not considered by the ICJ earlier on) as being worthy of
reconsideration: Consequently, the NBA calls on the Government of Nigeria to,
without further delay, apply under Article 61 of the ICJ statute of 1946, to
the ICJ for a revision of what is an unjust judgement over Bakassi,” the NBA
communiqué read.
President of the NBA Wale Oke could not be
reached for comments yesterday regarding the latest commitment by President
Jonathan.
Chairman of Cross River State traditional
rulers’ council and paramount ruler of Bakassi of LGA, HRH Etim Okon Edet also
expressed sadness that the federal government has refused to appeal ICJ ruling
on Bakassi as the opportunity runs out in about two week.
Speaking to Daily Trust in reaction to the
statement of the Minister of Information Labaran Maku, the traditional ruler
said that if the federal government is not willing and interested in appealing
the judgement, it is important for them to free the people of Bakassi and grant
them the right to control the natural resources available there in order for
them to actualize their self-determination.
“We know how to confront Cameoun. We can stand
on our own. My people want to take their destiny in their own hands”, he told
our reporter on phone.
Jonathan in his statement said countries must
honour international obligations, “including the obligation to refrain from the
threat or use of force, the obligation to settle disputes through peaceful
means, the obligation to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms and
abide by international humanitarian law.”
He said the rule of law at international level
must be based on the core principles of the United Nations which were further
reaffirmed in the 2005 World Summit Document.
Jonathan told the gathering his Administration
will, continue to encourage the Nigerian judiciary to play a pivotal role in
the advancement and elaboration of the rights of Nigerians through effective
oversight over the actions of the executive and legislature.
The session which was opened by United Nations
Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, was also addressed by the President of the
Security Council, the President of the International Court of Justice, the Head
of the United Nations Commission for Human Rights the Administrator of the
United Nations Development Programme and other participating Heads of State and
Government.
Daily Trust
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