CONTRARY to the Federal Government’s position that the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to neighbouring Cameroon is a closed matter, members of the Senate have said they would revisit the matter this week.

The Senators said the approval of the National Assembly was not sought and received before the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo ceded the oil – rich peninsula based on the judgment of the International Court of Justice.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information, Eyinnaya Abaribe, in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja at the weekend, said the Bakassi issue was not closed.

Abaribe said, “We have decided to revisit the issue of Bakassi, and will do so sometimes next (this) week.

“I do not know in what form it is going to come; the Rules and Business Committee will decide that.”

Also, the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, said the Green Tree Agreement, which was signed by Nigeria and Cameroon had not been ratified by the National Assembly. He argued that the failure to seek the approval of the National Assembly rendered the agreement incomplete.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, had in a recent interview with a national newspaper said the Federal Government would not appeal the October 2002 ICJ judgment because there was no higher court in the international judicial system than the ICJ.

He had said, “Go and check Article 60 and 61 of the ICJ rules; there is no room for appeal. What Nigeria can do, if at all we want to act, is to call for a review of the case.

“But from what most people are putting forward as reasons for us to go back to the ICJ, they are not tenable. We would only go there to embarrass ourselves.”

His information counterpart, Mr. Labaran Maku, had also said that the Federal Government had taken a final position not to seek a review of the judgment.

“Nigeria does not have a new position.Nigeria’s position is in conformity with the judgment of the International Court of Justice,” Maku said

However, Ndoma-Egba said, “What was forwarded to the 6th Senate was the Green Tree Agreement for ratification.

“To the best of my knowledge, that agreement has not been ratified till date.

“As far as the 1999 Constitution is concerned, the treaty is an incomplete Act that is as far as the ratification aspect is concerned.

“But generally, I think that the Federal Government should revisit the issue of Bakassi.

“You know, if government acquires somebody’s coco yam or cassava farm government pays compensation.

“Government cannot just cede an entire territory, not just territory, a place that represents an entire way of life, a people’s history, a people’s heritage and not think of compensation.

“There must be compensation from the Federal Government for the original owners of Bakassi in perpetuity.”

He also said the government should address the loss of revenue by Cross River State as a result of the ceding of Bakassi.

Ndoma-Egba, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said, “Cross River State should suffer no adversity as a result of the loss, rather it should be compensated for the loss. And then there are the humanitarian issues.

“This is not the first time under international law that people are being relocated and from time immemorial, relocations have come with humanitarian issues. The way we have attended to the humanitarian issues is as if it was not anticipated, they ought to have been anticipated.”

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Ita Enang, said indications from senators were that the issue should be revisited.

“So in that case, the matter will be revisited soon,” he told one of our correspondents in Abuja.

The House of Representatives said that it would take a final stance on the Bakassi Peninsula after the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs/Justice submitted the report of its findings .

The House had in July passed a resolution, advising the Federal Government to seek a review of the ICJ judgment.

The resolution followed agitation by the people of Bakassi, who argued that fresh facts had emerged to fault the judgment of the ICJ.

The House later referred the matter to the joint committee for further investigations.

The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said that the House would await the findings of the committee before taking a final position.

“Our committee is still investigating the Bakassi issue. It was earlier raised on the floor and referred to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs/Justice.

“We are waiting for the committee to submit its report before we can take a final position”, he added.

When contacted, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, said he supported the AGF’s view on the matter.

He said, “All I can say about Bakassi is that, we support the views expressed by the Attorney-General of the Federation.”

Obasanjo and ex-President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, had disagreed over how Bakassi Peninsula was ceded to Cameroon.

While Obasanjo claimed that he wrote to the National Assembly to seek a ratification of the agreement on the Peninsula, Nnamani said his request was not granted.

The Senate had in November 2007 rejected the transfer of Bakassi on the grounds that due process was not followed by the Obasanjo administration.

It said Obasanjo acted unilaterally and contrary to Section 12 of the 1999 constitution.

The section reads, “No treaty between the Federation and other country shall have the force of law except to the extent to which any such treaty has been enacted into law by the National Assembly.”

The Senate action then received the backing of many prominent Nigerians, including a former Attorney-General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN).

But Obasanjo, in a statement by his Media Assistant, Mr. Adeoba Ojekunle, had defended the transfer of Bakassi.

He said that contrary to the belief that he acted unilaterily, he duly served the National Assembly with relevant documents on Bakassi.

But Nnamani said Obasanjo should have made public what the response of the Senate was, if indeed such a thing had happened.

Nnamani, who spoke with one of our correspondents on the telephone, said the former President did not follow due process.

He said, “If he sent it (letter) to us like he said, what action did we take? What was our response? If he gave you the letter he said he wrote to the Senate, did he also attach our response, if any?

“What action did we take to make it conclusive? The question remains: Was the treaty ever ratified by the National Assembly?

“It is a major thing if it was not ratified. It is not binding on us. Let me tell you how he (Obasanjo) did things in office. Normally, what he does is, he calls the leadership of the National Assembly and tells us what he has done or a decision he had taken verbally.

“If he came to us with a letter on the agreement, we would have first read it on the floor of the Senate and the next day, refer it to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/senators-to-revisit-ceding-of-bakassi-this-week/

@Post

It's about time Nigerian senators did something. The people of Bakassi have suffered enough. I hope this issue is resolved once and for all.

SMH. You gave away bakassi just to win a war, now you want to go behind what you sold out without confrontation.

Well even if they revisit the ceding of bakassi, there is absolutely nothing una can do to retrieve the state back without a fight between Nigeria and Cameroon.

One_Naira: SMH. You gave away bakassi just to win a war, now you want to go behind what you sold out without confrontation.

Well even if they revisit the ceding of bakassi, there is absolutely nothing una can do to retrieve the state back without a fight between Nigeria and Cameroon.

Even though the world court gave it to Cameroon,the selfishness of OBJ to get International support for 3rd term made him hurriedly execute the handing over.

OBSANJO owes every Nigerian an explanation...

One_Naira: SMH. You gave away bakassi just to win a war, now you want to go behind what you sold out without confrontation.

Well even if they revisit the ceding of bakassi, there is absolutely nothing una can do to retrieve the state back without a fight between Nigeria and Cameroon.

Just to win a war our leaders sold those they rule, just like that, People's history/heritage is sold to another country, this show the stupidity and selfish interest of our fmr leaders (GOWON).

last week on ChannelsTV I saw what the so called camerounian armies did to the people of bakassi, some girls were RAP€D, while traders goods were taken from them and all sorts of evil.

How will the people of Bakassi cope when they fully become camerounians.

I know it's hard but something should be done.

Pls those blamin obasanjo shuld shutup the truth it was gowon who signed the agreeement with cameroun to giv the m the border so as to cut food supply to biafran soldiers..get ur fact rite google is ur friend

Lilspicer: Pls those blamin obasanjo shuld shutup the truth it was gowon who signed the agreeement with cameroun to giv the m the border so as to cut food supply to biafran soldiers..get ur fact rite google is ur friend

Yup, it's all Gowon selfish interest.

Lilspicer: Pls those blamin obasanjo shuld shutup the truth it was gowon who signed the agreeement with cameroun to giv the m the border so as to cut food supply to biafran soldiers..get ur fact rite google is ur friend

Yup, it's all Gowon's selfish interest.

Lilspicer: Pls those blamin obasanjo shuld shutup the truth it was gowon who signed the agreeement with cameroun to giv the m the border so as to cut food supply to biafran soldiers..get ur fact rite google is ur friend

Mr. Fact, did you read that write up before commenting

"The Senate had in November 2007 rejected the transfer of Bakassi on the grounds that due process was not followed by the Obasanjo administration.

It said Obasanjo acted unilaterally and contrary to Section 12 of the 1999 constitution.

The section reads, “No treaty between the Federation and other country shall have the force of law except to the extent to which any such treaty has been enacted into law by the National Assembly.”

The Senate action then received the backing of many prominent Nigerians, including a former Attorney-General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN).

But Obasanjo, in a statement by his Media Assistant, Mr. Adeoba Ojekunle, had defended the transfer of Bakassi.

He said that contrary to the belief that he acted unilaterily, he duly served the National Assembly with relevant documents on Bakassi.

But Nnamani said Obasanjo should have made public what the response of the Senate was, if indeed such a thing had happened."

On the match again innnnnn, on the match again innnnnn,

Leading to another waste of fund.

If comments by invited guest on Channels TV Sunrise Daily are anything to go by, then we should drop this bakassi issue,
I can see the media misleading the public here.
Then Legal practitioner will begging to file in their service charges to represent Nigeria at the international court, lobbing, bribing, selections, short cut etc all on Nataional Cake.

Can't we have the view and comments of lawyers who represented Nigeria then, they should be sincere enough to advice wether Bakkassi is ours or not,
It is Nigerian style, to cover up incompetent, or "smartness" if outcome of an event is other way round.

HIDING AGENDA

Millions were spend in phase 1 of this suit, we are abount heading to another phase.

The hand over of Bakassi and signing of the Green Tree Agreement was illegal with out the legislative endorsement(Reps and Sen). Yes Nigeria signed up to the ICJ and are binding by its resolve but the ICJ honours democratic process and rule of law which was not applied in this instance of Bakassi.

We have a right to request a review and the People of Bakassi have a right to be heard. Referendum are in order to avoid blood shed and militancy.

Once upon a time Southwestern Cameroon a part of Nigeria was democratically granted a referendum to decide on leaving Nigeria for Cameroon. Bakassi can do the same.

Lilspicer: Pls those blamin obasanjo shuld shutup the truth it was gowon who signed the agreeement with cameroun to giv the m the border so as to cut food supply to biafran soldiers..get ur fact rite google is ur friend

Really? The spirit if Biafra has commenced it's revenge. So part of the great master plan was to starve us to death? Gowon and middle belters haven't seen a thing. Tivs will exterminate you people. Talk about nemesis and karma

Why are they wasting so much time when they have only till October 2012 to appeal??

hardbody:

Really? The spirit if Biafra has commenced it's revenge. So part of the great master plan was to starve us to death? Gowon and middle belters haven't seen a thing. Tivs will exterminate you people. Talk about nemesis and karma

wtf do mean by tivs will exterminate you people? Dumb igbo not minding his damn business. Better stand up and go help your brothers on death row in prisons around the world as well as ur brothers killing themselves everyday in the name of cultism, kidnapping and armed robbery. Well igbos should kill igbo; its cool. Lol

One_Naira: SMH. You gave away bakassi just to win a war, now you want to go behind what you sold out without confrontation.

Well even if they revisit the ceding of bakassi, there is absolutely nothing una can do to retrieve the state back without a fight between Nigeria and Cameroon.

A fight? Can you fight with your father? If and when Nigeria decides to take Bakassi back, we will TAKE it. If Cameron even sneezes, we will annex the entire country. Heck we would even include Ghana, Niger, and Togo sef. All this small small countries wey no dey respect dia papa again. It is about time we became the United states of Nigeria...lol

Arsenate: wtf do mean by tivs will exterminate you people? Dumb igbo not minding his damn business. Better stand up and go help your brothers on death row in prisons around the world as well as ur brothers killing themselves everyday in the name of cultism, kidnapping and armed robbery. Well igbos should kill igbo; its cool. Lol

I feel u dude dey r nfing but Bunch of criminals here r dey try 2 blame sm1 4 thr evil deed

Ceding Bakasi is the height of the madness going on in Nigeria. It is a mark of how carlous and ruthless a typical Nigerian politician can be in terms of corruption. This winners take all approach have got to be nipped in the bud forthwith. How do you explain people who can hardly put their household in order wanting to rule Nigeria? Isn't that madness(weakness)? If anthing is to be ceded at all, definitely not to Cameroon a country I so much dispice with all my strenght. Nigerian rulers get your house in order otherwise your family will answer to prosterity should bakasi be taking by the parasitic neighbour from hell called Cameroun. Come to think of it where in the world do you hear this kind of madness(weakness), for a part of a country with its people to be ceded to a bad neighbour? Obviously, the government is affraid of war as it has lots of hidden agenda and skeletons in it's cupboard which will be revealed like a cankerworm in the event of a war. The ceding of bakasi will forever haunt Nigeria to disintergration and beyond, as any ragamorfin nation can lay claim to any territory from whatever is left over of Nigeria.

Why the noise now? Was the judgement given last week? The bakassi chiefs have finished the token from government to keep mute. Bakassi must be given to cameroon.

You can't eat your cake and still have it. The truth is that bakassi does not belong to Nigeria and it does not belong to Cameroun either.

Bakassi belongs to a republic yet unborn. Just like anything owned by anybody, you can be in possession of it for some time but definitely, one day, the rightful owner will claim it.

Bakassi belongs to a republic known as Biafra. Though her current citizens, especially her elites, don't care about actualizing her but that does not mean that one day, a crop of worthy sons and daughters of hers will come into existence to actualize her.

Gen. Yakubu Gowon knows exactly what i'm saying, likewise Gen. Mathew Aremu Obasanjo and Sen. Keneth Nnamani. If you doubt me, put a call across to any of them.

But the truth of the matter is, when you decides not to make use of your wife, your gardener can. Because when you decides not to make a decision, it is equally a decision.

Cameroun or Nigeria can make good use of Bakassi now, while Biafra are still in their self induced slumber, because the table must definitely turn tomorrow.

ochukwuma15: You can't eat your cake and still have it. The truth is that bakassi does not belong to Nigeria and it does not belong to Cameroun either.

Bakassi belongs to a republic yet unborn. Just like anything owned by anybody, you can be in possession of it for some time but definitely, one day, the rightful owner will claim it.

Bakassi belongs to a republic known as Biafra. Though her current citizens, especially her elites, don't care about actualizing her but that does not mean that one day, a crop of worthy sons and daughters of hers will come into existence to actualize her.

Gen. Yakubu Gowon knows exactly what i'm saying, likewise Gen. Mathew Aremu Obasanjo and Sen. Keneth Nnamani. If you doubt me, put a call across to any of them.

But the truth of the matter is, when you decides not to make use of your wife, your gardener can. Because when you decides not to make a decision, it is equally a decision.

Cameroun or Nigeria can make good use of Bakassi now, while Biafra are still in their self induced slumber, because the table must definitely turn tomorrow................... Chuks writes from Enugu, Nigeria.

guy keep quite and say better things.