Fani-Kayode insists There is No Legal Basis for Patience Jonathan to Appear Before ICC

Director of Media and Publicity for PDP’s campaign organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has dismissed APC’s plans to report First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the alleged inflammatory statements she made during a campaign rally in Cross River State.

Fani-Kayode expressed that there was no legal basis for the First Lady to be reported. He stated this on Wednesday during a press briefing in Abuja, Punch reports.

Here are excerpts from his comments:
“It is pertinent to note that, first of all, if they were a little better educated and had a better understanding of international law and how the ICC works, they would appreciate the fact that no individual is ever taken to the ICC based on what he or she has said unless and until people act on those words and massacre others.

It is only if that speech is followed by violence and mayhem or if it incites people to commit violence, which results in death, mass murder and crimes against humanity, that the person who indulged in such hate speech becomes an eligible candidate for the ICC.

Dame Patience Jonathan is a woman of peace. She did not threaten anyone with violence; she did not incite anyone to commit violence or to kill others and her words have not resulted in death, mass murder or any crimes against humanity.

We therefore completely reject the baseless charge and assertion that she has called for the killing or slaughter of anyone at any point in time.”

He further stated that the allegations made are an “empty and boastful ranting of a perfidious, desperate, decaying and dying political party and such threat will amount to nothing.”