The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the confirmation of ex-service chiefs by the Senate cannot stop the International Criminal Court ICC from investigating their activities while in office.
The immediate past Chiefs of Staff, namely; Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin Chief of Army, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai (Rtd), Staff, Chief of Air Staff Abubakar Sadique and Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ibas whose ambassadorial nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari sparked controversies however, got their confirmation by the Senate on Tuesday.
The PDP, Rights organisations and concerned Nigerians had kicked against Buhari’s nomination of the ex-service chiefs saying they did not deserve any public job until they answer questions about reports of crime against humanity they allegedly committed under their commands while in office.
But reacting to their confirmation by the senate PDP said the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has betrayed Nigerians for clearing the former service chiefs for ambassadorial portfolios.
The party insists that their confirmation would not undermine ICC’s investigation and possible prosecution of the former service chiefs, hence, preliminary steps have already begun by the Court.
PDP said despite accusations of crime against humanity committed by the ex-service chiefs, their confirmation by the senate is horrific and would continue to draw outrage.
According to the spokesman of PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement:
“It is indeed horrendous that the APC leadership in the Senate could choose to betray Nigerians by rushing to clear the accused ex-service chiefs in a desperate attempt to grant them diplomatic immunity and shield them from investigation and prosecution for the atrocities committed against Nigerians under their command”.
PDP accused the APC of being a mere rubber stamp being used to endorse policies that suppress the will of the people of Nigeria.
Berating the APC further PDP said clearing the former service chiefs for ambassadorial posting was reward for failure which also amounts to stabbing the nation in the back.
The PDP therefor,cautions the APC leadership in the Senate that such decision has painted the entire National Assembly in a bad light before Nigerians and the international community.
Said Ologbondiyan: “Though it is public knowledge that the current APC Senate leadership is a mere rubber stamp and contrivance being used to endorse atrocious policies and suppress the will of the people, but descending to the level of aiding and abetting crime against humanity by attempting to confer diplomatic immunity on the accused ex-commanders is, to say the least, despicable.
“It is indeed shameful that the APC leadership in the Senate could clear the ex-service chiefs, who the National Assembly had earlier indicted and requested for their sack over security failures and alleged compromises”.
Commending its members in the Senate for rejecting the clearance of the ex-service chiefs as ambassadors and urged them not to relent in taking legislative steps to ensure their recall. PDP observes that already, the development is pitching the Senate against the majority of Nigerians.
It further observed that the victims of acts of terrorism as well as those of the reported extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, illegal detentions in dehumanizing camps, massacre of peaceful protesters, torture, rape and other atrocities allegedly committed under the ex commanders, as detailed in the reports of credible international bodies including the United States Department of State, Amnesty International (AI) and Transparency International (TI), are Nigerians who received the clearance of the former service chiefs with indignation.
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