THERE were indications on Thursday that the Federal Government was set to ask for a review of the judgment of the International Court of Justice which ceded the oil rich Bakassi Peninsula to neighbouring Cameroon.

The PUNCH learnt in Abuja that President Goodluck Jonathan had directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), to file for a review of the judgement delivered 10 years ago.

Nigeria has barely one week remaining before the window for a review against the judgment closes. The country has till October 9, 2012 to seek for the review of the judgment delivered on October 10, 2002.

Under the ICJ statute, aggrieved parties have no right to appeal judgments but under its Article 61 one could seek for a review of decided cases within 10 years if fresh facts emerged after the judgment.

Jonathan reportedly passed the directive to Adoke after a late night meeting between the President and the leadership of the National Assembly on Wednesday. The meeting held at the Aso Rock Villa.

At the meeting were Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; and some other principal officers of the National Assembly.

Others included the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, and Adoke.

Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, who also attended the meeting told State House correspondents thereafter that a committee had been set up to explore the review option and that the committee would also consider how to take care of the displaced people of Bakassi.

Imoke who did not disclose the composition of the committee said it would work within a specified time.

The Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Leo Ogor, who was also part of the meeting, hinted on Thursday that the Federal Government had decided to review the judgment.

“I attended a meeting where this issue was discussed and I can confirm that Mr. President instructed the AGF to file for the review.

“Mr. President directed him to comply with the resolution of the House on the Bakassi issue”, Ogor stated in Abuja.

Adoke was also scheduled to attend an investigative hearing at the House on Thursday but he did not turn up.

He had written the House pleading for a shift of the event on the grounds that he had a pressing national assignment of attending to the review of the ICJ judgment on Bakassi.

The House had on Thursday last week passed a resolution advising the government to file for a review of the judgment.

The resolution followed an investigation into the Bakassi dispute by its Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs/Justice.

The committee, which was headed by Ms Nnena Ukeje, had recommended that due to “fresh facts” now at the disposal of Nigeria, it was in the interest of the country to file for a review of the judgment.

The Ukeje committee had said, “There are new grounds to enter a review for the judgment.

“One of the issues that has come to the fore is the fact that the 1913 Treaty, which the court based its decision has been faulted.”

The committee had also observed that Nigeria had yet to ratify the 2006 Green Tree Agreement under which the Federal Government ceded Bakassi to Cameroon.

The committee told the House that by the provisions of Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), no treaty could be binding on Nigeria until it is ratified by an Act of the National Assembly.

Part of the committee’s recommendation reads, “The GTA is a clear violation of Section 12 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that ‘no treaty between the Federal Government and any other country shall have the force of law except to the extent to which any such treaty have been enacted into law by the National Assembly.”

The Senate passed a similar resolution, calling on the government to file for the review.

Until the pressure from the National Assembly, the Federal Government had consistently argued that Nigeria had no grounds to enter for a review of the judgment.

In 2006, under the watch of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Federal Government signed the GTA with Cameroon and ceded the oil-rich territory, but the Bakassi people have continued to complain of unfair deal by Cameroon.

http://www.punchng.com/news/fg-in-bakassi-u-turn-%E2%80%A2-jonathan-directs-adoke-to-appeal-icj-ruling-%E2%80%A2-nigeria-to-base-legal-battle-on-fresh-facts/

As a pseudo-PanAfricanist, this is bad idea... However, as a proud Nigerian, I'm very happy...

We also need to militarise the place while we're at it, we can't let smaller countries bully us...

I don't really like Paul Biya(freaking utterly corrupt dictator) - an invasion and regime change in that part of Africa won't be a bad idea...

Imperial Nigeria - let's get it!!

Hope they submit their formal application for review of the judgement before the 9th of October which is just 5 days AWAY!

CyberG: Hope they submit their formal application for review of the judgement before the 9th of October which is just 5 days AWAY!

They should be able to do that, if they're dead serious about it... However, it's Nigeria, where people at the 'ivory tower' talk the talk, but can't walk the walk...So, anything is possible - the end will justify the means...

shymexx: As a pseudo-PanAfricanist, this is bad idea... However, as a proud Nigerian, I'm very happy...

We also need to militarise the place while we're at it, we can't let smaller countries bully us...

I don't really like Paul Biya(freaking utterly corrupt dictator) - an invasion and regime change in that part of Africa won't be a bad idea...

Imperial Nigeria - let's get it!!

Well, we have to hope that this government can come up with a strategy that will strengthen our chances which has been weakened by the actions of previous governments and this GEJ's recent statement that he will not ask for a review of the case. One of such strategies is finding ways to keep the Bakassi people engaged, piling up pressure and making it clear that Nigeria is committed to the re-integration of Bakassi into Nigeria and will accept no other options because the people will NOT. That way, even if it goes down to a referendum, the Bakassi in addition to their zeal would have seen strong commitments and good will of the Nigerian administration to completely vote themselves back into Nigeria which is WILLING to accept them with both hands and feet, in fact completely!

shymexx:

They should be able to do that, if they're dead serious about it... However, it's Nigeria, where people at the 'ivory tower' talk the talk, but can't walk the walk...So, anything is possible - the end will justify the means...

Yes, you are correct! Let's wait and see.

A good step by Mr. President but while wait till this last minute before taking this turn. However, I salute the uncommon courage of Mr. President in taking up the Bakassi Appeal to the Hagues and I'm very confident that Nigeria would reclaim Bakassi.
I rejoice with the Bakassi people and the good people of Cross River State.

CyberG:
Well, we have to hope that this government can come up with a strategy that will strengthen our chances which has been weakened by the actions of previous governments and this GEJ's recent statement that he will not ask for a review of the case. One of such strategies is finding ways to keep the Bakassi people engaged, piling up pressure and making it clear that Nigeria is committed to the re-integration of Bakassi into Nigeria and will accept no other options because the people will NOT. That way, even if it goes down to a referendum, the Bakassi in addition to their zeal would have seen strong commitments and good will of the Nigerian administration to completely vote themselves back into Nigeria which is WILLING to accept them with both hands and feet, in fact completely!

I concur 100%..

I reckon referendum will be the end game... And that would be easy for Nigeria, since the people from the place prefer being part of Nigeria, to Cameroun...

I just hope they settle it amicably, without bloodshed...

I don't support this

who needs that land more? cameroonians or nigerians

onila: I don't support this

who needs that land more? cameroonians or nigerians

The oil(and fish-rich water) is the prize!!

And probably a naval base for Nigeria in Bakassi to monitor Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome & Principe - those tiny countries are too rich to be ignored... We need to share some of their oil wealth lol...

shymexx:

The oil(and fish-rich water) is the prize!!

And probably a naval base for Nigeria in Bakassi to monitor Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome & Principe - those tiny countries are too rich to be ignored... We need to share some of their oil wealth lol...

i know it has oil n fish but who needs it more

Cameroon is less richer than Nigeria.

onila: I don't support this

who needs that land more? cameroonians or nigerians

This is definitely NOT a virgin thread. It is way beyond ur virginity knowledge!

Go to Romance or Sexuality section where ur e-virginity belongs.

shymexx:

The oil(and fish-rich water) is the prize!!

And probably a naval base for Nigeria in Bakassi to monitor Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome & Principe - those tiny countries are too rich to be ignored... We need to share some of their oil wealth lol...

LOL at expansionist Nigerians !!

Ranoscky:
This is definitely NOT a virgin thread. It is way beyond ur virginity knowledge!

Go to Romance or Sexuality section where ur e-virginity belongs.

can u just answer the question and stop whining

Laugh wan kill me. Nigeria wants to appeal a verdict that has been implemented.

Flogging a dead horse!

I pray the Justice minister acts fast, really want us to have Bakassi back.

The poor people displaced from their ancestral homes the Oyel and my ego; common Cameroon

Nigeria is taking medicine after death. Why did they have to wait this long...
#watching with my popcorn and coke

Nigeria should tell France it won't send any troops to Mali if it joins in on Cameroon's side...That will shut them up really quickly!!! You see this is Ghanaian intelligence... Only Ghanaian RULE can SAVE West Africa!!

In fact, Ghana should be ruling Bakassi and all of West Africa!! Cameroon is nothing but a French puppet state!!

shymexx: As a pseudo-PanAfricanist, this is bad idea... However, as a proud Nigerian, I'm very happy...

We also need to militarise the place while we're at it, we can't let smaller countries bully us...

I don't really like Paul Biya(freaking utterly corrupt dictator) - an invasion and regime change in that part of Africa won't be a bad idea...

Imperial Nigeria - let's get it!!

You and I agree here. We need to militarize Bakassi and take on Cameroun, it wont be bad if I have an outpost there with Green-White-Green.

Cameroun needs to stay off Bakassi, OBJ unilaterally, without the consent of the NASS gave out Bakassi. He will not be forgiven if we dont get Bakassi back. Cameroun Stay off our Bakassi. We need it for National Security.

Don't forget that Nigerians like to work under pressure! Our strengths are always at last minutes! I just wish d injury time factor doesn't ruin this! And watch adoke let him not go to cameroon and collect his own share that would stall things o! Imoke, akpabio u guys just ve to watch d backs of obj, giwa and duke! Their body language this time cld b sometin evil! Go guys don't slp! Hw on earth can cameroon acquire sometin that is not historically and naturally theirs by d stupidity of some dude d call gowon! Where has one nigeria led us so fa? And hw can an anglo-german treaty b bindin on issues like this? Nw that we ve understood d west mayb we nid some AhmadinajaD stunts to tell them go fu-k urselves fools!

Good move I'll say, but as someone rightly said, why do they need to wait until few days left before they could appeal ?

Some dumb Nigerians have already started talking about invasion and militarilization of Bakasi.You people think big population translates into military prowess.

Where do you get those funny ideas from?

Don't make Cameroun clean the floor with your face.

I bet it with you people that before that deadline date, they will come and tell us that they need financial allocation and some review committee to really know what went wrong before they appeal the judgement. even if they still lose the land, they should have appealed immediately. if it is the election they lose now, even before they
announce the winner, they would be the first person in court to appeal the following day in tribunal.
come o, were they sleeping before?
my leaders are so slow to act on something important and justifiable but quick to act on something that they will benefit them financially. Naija,I hail thee.

A huge step in the right direction. I always thought Nigeria didn't press hard enough to have the Peninsula in the first place. Nigeria gave the Peninsula up far too easily! Now is the time to right the wrong! REFERENDUM PLEASE!!!

OBJ should be tried for ceding part of the country without formal ratification from the NASS. What he did was criminal and against the Sovereign constitution of Nigeria. How i wish Gani was still alive...

kai !!! walahi

The winning is ours whether cameroon like it or not Bakassi belong to niaja,whatever case this dynamic man,{digital Govonor Godswill Akpabio} is involve,he must win,whether spiritual or physical battle he must win.....Am happy our ever winning govonor is the leading team....pls carry on Akpabioism.....Yak isong Odot ukanna,Adot ukanna isong

SmoothCrim: Nigeria should tell France it won't send any troops to Mali if it joins in on Cameroon's side...That will shut them up really quickly!!! You see this is Ghanaian intelligence... Only Ghanaian RULE can SAVE West Africa!!

Please,why do you like smooking marijuana,is not good for your health

I thought d president said d country has accepted d icj rulin....dis our presidnt is ful of surprises