OK away from the certificate saga Buhari should get ready for the Big One as ICC (international Criminal Court) is coming after him with high profile allegation.
A Dutch lawyer at the
International Criminal Court and rights activists said Thursday they have evidence
showing 2015 presidential candidate
Muhammadu Buhari instigating and inciting
violence that led to the killings of some 800
people after he lost 2011 elections.
"There are references to lynching, there's a
reference to killing," Goran Sluiter, a human
rights lawyer who represents complaints to
the ICC, said of video recordings of the
former military dictator now campaigning.
Activist Yunana Shibkau said his Northern
Coalition for Democracy and Justice will use
such recordings to convince the
International Criminal Court to charge the
retired general with crimes against
humanity.
Both men spoke to The Associated Press
before a news conference Thursday in
Abuja, Nigeria's capital, saying they hope to
pre-empt similar violence at Feb. 14
elections.
Sluiter said the timing of the news
conference, three weeks before balloting, is
because "my clients are really committed to
justice being done — an inevitable ingredient
for peace and stability in Nigeria."
Buhari's campaign denied the allegations
saying "This is all part of the campaign to
stop Buhari at all cost."
It said the violence was "a spontaneous
reaction to perceived electoral
shenanigans."
Previously it has said such allegations are
orchestrated by President Goodluck
Jonathan, Buhari's chief rival. Buhari ousted
a democratically elected president in 1983
and was then ejected from office in a 1985
coup.
Most analysts are predicting a win for
Jonathan in the most closely contested
election since military dictatorship ended in
1994. But DaMina Advisors, a research firm
focusing on Africa, Thursday published an
electoral statistical model that anticipates
Buhari would narrowly unseat Jonathan.
Jonathan's party has suffered numerous
defections because his candidacy flouts an
understanding that the presidency rotate
between a Christian southerner, like
Jonathan, and a Muslim northerner.
Buhari's supporters say he can curb the
northeastern Islamic uprising that has
become increasingly deadly, and prosecute
corruption.
But Shibkau said Buhari should have been
prosecuted in Nigeria for inciting the
postelection violence in which 65,000 people
were also made homeless and Christian
churches and schools were burned.
He quoted from a 2011 rally where Buhari
urges supporters, "If anybody tries to
prevent you from guarding your vote, kill
them."
A Dutch lawyer at the
International Criminal Court and rights activists said Thursday they have evidence
showing 2015 presidential candidate
Muhammadu Buhari instigating and inciting
violence that led to the killings of some 800
people after he lost 2011 elections.
"There are references to lynching, there's a
reference to killing," Goran Sluiter, a human
rights lawyer who represents complaints to
the ICC, said of video recordings of the
former military dictator now campaigning.
Activist Yunana Shibkau said his Northern
Coalition for Democracy and Justice will use
such recordings to convince the
International Criminal Court to charge the
retired general with crimes against
humanity.
Both men spoke to The Associated Press
before a news conference Thursday in
Abuja, Nigeria's capital, saying they hope to
pre-empt similar violence at Feb. 14
elections.
Sluiter said the timing of the news
conference, three weeks before balloting, is
because "my clients are really committed to
justice being done — an inevitable ingredient
for peace and stability in Nigeria."
Buhari's campaign denied the allegations
saying "This is all part of the campaign to
stop Buhari at all cost."
It said the violence was "a spontaneous
reaction to perceived electoral
shenanigans."
Previously it has said such allegations are
orchestrated by President Goodluck
Jonathan, Buhari's chief rival. Buhari ousted
a democratically elected president in 1983
and was then ejected from office in a 1985
coup.
Most analysts are predicting a win for
Jonathan in the most closely contested
election since military dictatorship ended in
1994. But DaMina Advisors, a research firm
focusing on Africa, Thursday published an
electoral statistical model that anticipates
Buhari would narrowly unseat Jonathan.
Jonathan's party has suffered numerous
defections because his candidacy flouts an
understanding that the presidency rotate
between a Christian southerner, like
Jonathan, and a Muslim northerner.
Buhari's supporters say he can curb the
northeastern Islamic uprising that has
become increasingly deadly, and prosecute
corruption.
But Shibkau said Buhari should have been
prosecuted in Nigeria for inciting the
postelection violence in which 65,000 people
were also made homeless and Christian
churches and schools were burned.
He quoted from a 2011 rally where Buhari
urges supporters, "If anybody tries to
prevent you from guarding your vote, kill
them."
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