Why International Law can’t be invoked against Nigeria, FG, ex-Presidential Special Investigator, Obono-Obla educates secessionist elements, ‘human rights’ lawyers

*Gives evidences international law is merely international politics

*Says treaties not law until domesticated, ratified by NASS

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

“The ICC can only prosecute individuals and not organizations or governments, allowing the court to focus on high-level government officials typically exempted from international prosecution for their government’s illegal actions.  Under Nigerian Constitutional Law, an international treaty between Nigeria and another country does not become law in Nigeria until the National Assembly has domesticated such a treaty through ratification.”

As more Nigerians come up to enlighten even some self styled human rights lawyers who special and have agitate fighting for human rights mindless of human duties with regard to secession, former Chairman of the defunct Special Presidential Investigation Panel, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has reiterated his position on how international law stands with regard to national constitution any sovereign country like Nigeria.

He said international law, which those who are agitating to break up Nigeria in the name of rights are sighting, is no more than international politics that is of no imperative substance to the national constitution of Nigeria.

Mr. Obono-Obla, who is Cross Rivers State-born, spoke categorically through a message he emailed to The DEFENDER that, “International Law is nothing but International Politics.”

He said international law “is all about different standards and jostling by nations to have an advantage over one another.”

He cited instances where countries such as United States of America, Israel and others particularly in Europe played down on resolutions of the United Nations to show that whatever it is that international law contains is not binding on the country.  The same law, some notable voices have said, is what some lawyers branding selves as human rights lawyers in Nigeria special in, to heat up the polity in support of ‘trouble makers of Nigeria’ whose plans are to destabilize the country make it ungovernable especially at the current era that is ruled by a President of Northern Nigerian extractions.

Okoi Obono-Obla, a lawyer, said: “The other day I stated that the State of Israel, since 1948 till today, has never obeyed all the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council on Palestinian Question.  Despite this nothing, nothing has happened to the State of Israel.

“I also mentioned the refusal of Great Britain to obey the resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations and the judgment of the United Nations Maritime Tribunal on the Law of the Sea concerning its claims over the sovereignty of the Island of Chagos. The Tribunal had ruled that the Island of Chagos belong to the Republic of Mauritius. Still, Great Britain has refused to obey the judgment and the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly.

U.S. never obeyed ICC judgments

“Another classic example is the United States of America who has never obeyed any judgment of the International Court of Justice on the ground that for such a judgment to be enforced, the party in whose favor the judgment is given must file another suit in the USA Court seeking its enforceability.

“In 2018, The U.S. rejected an International Court of Justice ruling mandating that U.S. sanctions allow exemptions for humanitarian and civil aviation supplies to Iran, saying those protections are already in place.

“Till this moment, the USA has bluntly refused to sign the Statute of the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC). The ICC is a permanent court established by the Rome Statute to prosecute persons for the most serious international crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

“The Rome Statute is an international treaty; 122 countries have ratified and have been signed by an additional 31 countries that have not yet ratified it. The United States is one of the few countries not to ratify or sign the statute.

“The ICC can only prosecute individuals and not organizations or governments, allowing the court to focus on high-level government officials typically exempted from international prosecution for their government’s illegal actions.”

Before international treat can work against Nigeria

“Under Nigerian Constitutional Law, an international treaty between Nigeria and another country does not become law in Nigeria until the National Assembly has domesticated such a treaty through ratification.

“In the case concerning Nigeria and Cameroon over the Bakassi peninsula, President Olusegun Obasanjo decided to play politics and used Bakassi to appease the western powers. Nothing will have happened if Nigeria decides not to obey the judgment and hand over the sovereignty of Bakassi Penisula to Cameroon.

“Even after the judgment was pronounced in favor of Cameroon; the then United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Anan, still had to broker a settlement between Nigeria and Cameroon, leading to the signing of the Green Tree Agreement between Nigeria and Cameroon on the implementation of the judgment of the International Court of Justice.

“However, the legality of the Green Tree Agreement is still doubtful because it was never tabled before the National Assembly for its ratification as stipulated in section 12 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999,” Obono-Obla explained.

He therefore called on those causing troubles and agitating, either as opposition party, religious and ethnic groups or their allies within the Civil Societies, against process of rebuilding Nigeria to stop.

“So, Nigerians should desist from relying on international law to resolve contentious national issues.  Help will never come from the international community! Examples abound!!,” Okoi Obono-Obla warned.