Atiku in America & The Conspiracy Theories

Without any iota of equivocation, I'm the last person to applaud the traveling of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to the United States of America on account of lack of its corollary beneficial effect to the average man on the streets. A testament to this can be found  in my earlier write up on the subject on this blog and my other social media accounts. Be that as it may, I felt amused and nauseated by the various conspiracy theories that have gritted his travel to the United States.

One of such theories is that he was listed as part of the delegations of the Senate President- Senator Bukola Saraki. There is another one which says he was listed as an aide to the Senate President. What a balderdash!

As a student of International Law, one of the basic principles of Law, I was espoused to is - par parem non habet imperium which means a sovereign cannot be subjected to the sovereignty of another sovereign. It is on this basis that Diplomatic Immunity are given to Ambassadors and other senior government officials like the Senate President.

What this means is that people in this category are exempted from criminal and even civil investigation and prosecution except on certain conditions as enshrined in Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961. The details of immunities of Diplomatic agents can be found from Article 21- 37 of the VCDR.

Despite this blanket protection given to Ambassadors and Senior Government officials, there are grounds for their investigation and prosecution. One of such is on the basis of another International Law principles, namely: pacta sunt servanda, that is, agreement must be kept. What this means is that every subject (country) is bound by the agreement it made with another subject (country). On this ground, I tell you the erstwhile Vice President can be arrested since there is a bilateral agreement between the United States and Nigeria on Anti-corruption crusade. Besides, Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

This is because "the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), under its article 44(9), specifically calls on signatory countries - among which Nigeria - to expedite extradition proceedings. Through amending the law on extradition, Nigeria has brought its national legislation into compliance with the Convention's provision."

All what it will require the Nigeria State is to waive its immunities for any person found culpable of corruption, and justice will naturally have its way except if those in charge of our justice system are not up-to-date on the present international state of the VCDR.

Equally important to note is that on the basis of territorial principle, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a wanted criminal in the United States based on the House submission on the Jefferson's case, and as such, they could arrest, investigate and prosecute him for trespassing the law of their country.

Thus, not arresting him goes beyond the fact that he is listed as an aide or part of the delegations of the Senate President. It is purely a product of high level diplomacy, probably facilitated by the Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Senate President and or any other person(s).

What needs to be noted is that what is paramount and permanent in international relations and politics is interest. Every other things  are secondary; and there is no doubt, the United States has overwhelming interest in the Nigeria State partly because of the strategic nature of the country in Africa, and most especially for what they stand to gain as a country.

In recent time, there has been a short of little collaboration between the Aso Rock and the White House. The PMB's regime has looked more to China and other Eastern countries in recent time, and this is to the disadvantage of the United States. So on this basis alone, the United States of America can decide to look away from the sins' of the erstwhile Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar alone if only to regain their pride of place in Africa and Nigeria in particular.

In effect, what I'm saying is that it is not only insulting, derogatory and smack modicum of common sense to say the United States of America cannot and didn't arrest the Vice President on the basis of earlier stated conspiracy theories being brandished about. It is nothing but a lie from the pit of hell.

ONE MORE THING

The 2019 Presidential Debate might have come and gone, but its place in our democratic culture will linger forever. In this regards, I applaud all those candidates who respected millions of Nigeria by coming forth to express their opinions on how the country can be moved forward. In this regards, I say, a big thank you to the trio of: Kingsley Morghalu, Oby Ekewesili and Fela Durotoye, and to those who shown interest to participate but were denied.

And for those, who felt too big for the good people of Nigeria, your names are in the book of posterity for good or for bad, and one day history will remember you for belittling Nigerians by treating them as nobody. You may escape the consequences, but your unborn generations may not be so lucky.

Thank you for your time.

God bless my fatherland!
God bless Nigeria!!