APC says it has concluded plans to drag the first
Lady Patience Jonathan before the International
Criminal Court over her recent remarks at the
PDP Presidential campaign rally in Calabar,
Cross Rivers state where she called on people to
stone anyone who chanted Change around them.
The APC said Mrs Jonathan's comment was
calling on PDP supporters in the state to attack
members of the APC. The party likened Mrs
Jonathan to the former First Lady of Cote
d’Ivoire, Mrs Laurent Gbagbo who was indicted
by the ICC over matters bothering on election
crisis in 2010 during her husband's re-election
"Change, as the entire country knows by
now, is the slogan of the APC – the rallying
cry of a political party that wishes to bring
hope of greater and better things to come
for Nigeria and Nigerians. “By her
statement, Mrs. Jonathan was clearly
calling on the PDP supporters in Calabar to
attack supporters and campaigners of the
APC in the state. Mrs. Jonathan does not
occupy any formal office in the Nigerian
government as the position of the First
Lady is not recognised by the Nigerian
constitution. But Mrs. Gbagbo’s case
shows the ICC’s awareness of how
someone beyond formal governmental and
military hierarchies can be identified as
responsible for serious international crimes.
Patience Jonathan’s incontrovertible hate
speech not only contravened the laws of
the land, but also went completely against
the Abuja peace accord jointly signed by
the two presidential candidates,
Muhammadu Buhari and President
Goodluck Jonathan – a gesture which is
aimed at forestalling violence before, during
and after the 2015 elections. The PDP
supporters in the state, who may not know
better, could easily yield themselves to the
First Lady’s admonition and embark on a
process of wanton stoning and other
attacks against the APC members.”the
party said
The party says the letter to the ICC is signed by
the APC Presidential Campaign Director and
Governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Ameachi and
would be forwarded to the ICC today March 9th.
It also said that the Inspector General of the
Police and the National Human Rights
Commission would also be sent copies of the
letter.
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