Division Over Move To Prosecute First Lady Jonathan

Nigeria’s top lawyers were yesterday divided over the move by the All Progressives Congress, APC to have Mrs Patience Jonathan, wife of President Goodluck Jonathan prosecuted by the International Criminal Court over alleged hate speech.

The move which was derided by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP was, however, thumbed up by a number of Nigeria’s prominent political actors who said it would serve as a deterrent to other political actors from inciting violence.

Among the lawyers who spoke on the issue, yesterday were constitutional lawyers, Prof. Itse Sagay, Mr. Frank Odita, QC and Chief Olisa Agbakoba. Political actors who spoke on the development included the speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salam, former Lagos State commissioner of police, Mr. Abubakar Tsav, Labour Party chieftain, Chief Frank Kokori, former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Junaid Mohammed and Chief Olisa Metuh, the spokesman of the PDP. Mrs. Jonathan had at a PDP women rally in Calabar, Cross River State last week reportedly told her audience to stone anyone coming to them with the message of change. 

Change is the slogan of the opposition party, APC. “I’m telling you, anyone that comes and tell you change, stone that person,” Mrs. Jonathan had reportedly said. The director-general of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Governor Rotimi Amaehci had upon her assertion vowed to report Mrs. Jonathan to the ICC for promoting hate speech that he said could lead to widespread violence. He had drawn allusions to the ongoing trial of former Ivory Cost First Lady, Mrs. Simone Gbagbo, who is currently facing trial for similar allegations. The letter to the ICC is to be dispatched today by email after being signed by Amaechi, sources in the APC campaign headquarters confirmed yesterday. A paper copy is to follow subsequently.

Vanguard