Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), said the real reason former President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat in 2015 was because of the arrest and prosecution warning issued by the International Criminal Court ahead of the elections.

He said prior to the elections, ICC had warned that should there be any violence and crimes against humanity, any leader responsible would be arrested and prosecuted the same way the ex-President of Cote d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, was prosecuted.

According to a statement made available to journalists on Monday, Falana said this at the inauguration of the League of Anambra Professionals Legal Defence Initiative, held in Lagos over the weekend.

The lawyer added that for fear of ICC, no Nigerian leader dared annul election again like a former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), did in 1993.

He also dismissed the fear that President Muhammadu Buhari might be unwilling to leave office if he should lose next year’s election.

Falana said, “Unlike in 1993 when the military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, successfully annulled an election, that is no longer possible.

“Whoever does that now will end up in The Hague. He is likely to be tried for crimes against humanity because if you annul an election, you are likely to have a monumental violence in the country which will lead to crimes against humanity.

“Before the 2015 elections, the ICC warned that if there was any problem in Nigeria, anybody who was responsible would be arrested and charged like former President Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d’Ivoire. That was the atmosphere under which President Goodluck conceded victory.”

Falana said he decided to speak on the issue in order to assure Nigerians that election could no longer be annulled in Nigeria.

This, he said, was important because of the fear that had been expressed that if Buhari lost election, he might not want to hand over.

“That belongs to the past,” he declared.

A former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, on his part said the clamour for restructuring must be viewed contextually as “Nigeria had been in the process of restructuring since 1903.”

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/fear-of-icc-made-jonathan-to-concede-defeat-falana.html

Before nko? Sir not only fear of ICC, the fear of Laurent Gbabgo kind of treatment is a beginning of wisdom

Men are ready to give him better

Your claim even made Jonathan more reasonable, unlike a bloody terrorist in Aso rock who'll rather see millions of Nigerians dead than to accept defeat.

Jonathan is just a good man, plain and simple.

Buhari is also a man of integrity and would accept the outcome of the 2019 elections no matter the results.

ICC can go to hell. Have they arrested Al Bashir of Sudan or
Kenyatta of kenya and his deputy?

There are always countries ready to give these leaders asylum if need be.

Stupid comment from the hypocritical lawyer....

The biggest criminal and corrupt dictator is busy running the Nigerian government at the moment.

A president that does not respect the rule of law is not fit to lead this nation in the first place. I hope Nigerians are learning sense...

Mtcheew

Very rubbish talk. The man already stated that his political ambition was never worth the blood of a single Nigerian even before the elections while someone else said dogs and baboons would drown in blood if he didn't win. So he conceded defeat because he had respect for rule of law like his boss (Late Yar'Adua) and because he didn't want a blood bath.

Lienus Obi must hear this.

Chairman Him Tu Lai of China.

see this mumu man

Nigerianization:
Jonathan is just a good man, plain and simple.
Buhari is also a man of integrity and would accept the outcome of the 2019 elections no matter the results. ICC can go to hell. Have they arrested Al Bashir of Sudan or
Kenyatta of kenya and his deputy?
There are always countries ready to give these leaders asylum if need be.

Are you sure of what you're saying @ Bolded?

Even Buhari thinks otherwise.

Falana trying to rehearsh history just to play the same political role he played for the APC in 2015.

Nigerians are now wiser (ofcause with the exception of 'Abobakus' aka BMCs).

Shameless Yoruba man

deji17:
Lienus Obi must hear this.

he turned osinbajo to stamarer overnight

The caption is malicious, the OP had to twist the headline to deceive those that comment only based on the headline.

Same with Buhari next year

The ineffectual BUFFON lost totally.
He was seriously dealt it with PMB.
SO before nko?

GEJ was a weakling shaa! Buhari out of his stupidity and tribalism is making GEJ look like he did very well.


I wouldn't even want Buhari to get to the extent of conceding defeat. He should honourably resign now.

What now made this Yoruba afonja lick buhari ass for 3and half years

APC is a failed experiment Under Buhary the price of food increased 150percent

This Gani Fawehimi wannabe said nothing when the president refused to sign the electoral amendment bill , he occupied nowhere when fuel was increased from N87 to N145 even with double subsidy, all the Mainagate, Gandollargate, Aishagate, Burataigate etc he has said nothing but when it comes to GEJ, he becomes a human right lawyer cos he knows GEJ is gentle. He should try nonsense with Bubu and he will know there are different types of water:hot water and cold water

Two edged sword Man

ICC made for Africans if you know you know

It is still a virtue on his part. He could have decided to damn any consequences. Me and you would have suffered the the greatest casualties.

Coward, why are you just saying it?
ICC or NTA nigga is a hero

hmmm! Jonathan is setting fire in aso rock.



APC is not complete a day without mentioning Jonathan.

I don't take these Yoruba people serious.

They are all compromised even when they try to sound smart.

Coward die many times before his dead! Jonah is a Coward!

Absolutely correct...Baba Jonah didn't want to be a scale goat ..and a fall fool..

This man is a lawyer, he should know the difference between annulling an election, rigging and going to court to challenge a rigged election. Was Goodluck advised to annull the election?. He was told to challenge the result in court.

A civilian president in Nigeria can't anull an election but can rather rigg or challenge the process

capatainrambo:
he turned osinbajo to stamarer overnight

Those lies from Lienus Obi will turn the best orator into an instant stammerer .

I don't understand how south west leaders behave, it will be clear soon

They have made it so clear that they are not part of the south giving the north the power they have ruling this nation...

Anyone who watched the last debate will see the intellectual capacity of the south above the north....

But the south west will always push the south down joining their masters in the north...

Am just waiting, because I know buhari will win the next election, 2023, they will want a south west president in APC, I believe the SW will need other Southerns to join them defeat the northerner counterpart...
It is at that point they will know they have eaten more than they can chew