ABUJA— The Sudanese government has dismissed
claims that President Omar Al-Bashir fled Nigeria over fear of arrest by
International Criminal Court, ICC.
It will be recalled that Omar Al-Bashir was
indicted by ICC for alleged crimes against humanity. He came to Nigeria
to attend the African Union, AU, Special Summit on AIDS/HIV,
Tuberculosis and Malaria.
While refuting the report, Sudanese
Ambassador to Nigeria, Tagelsir Ali, told journalists in Abuja that
Al-Bashir had a scheduled meeting with three other presidents; President
Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam
Desalegh and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya. He said these meetings explained
his absence at the panel session.
He explained that it was after he
had concluded the meetings that the embassy advised him to go back as
there was nothing serious in the next day’s agenda, which he said was
meant for drafting of communique.
Ali also revealed that Al-Bashir
had delegated his Minister of Health to take his speech at the panel
session for Presidents, while he discussed with the three presidents in
separate meetings.
He stressed that Al-Bashir never nursed the thought or raised any fear of arrest while in Nigeria.
Ali said: “We gave him the go-ahead to come to Nigeria because of what Nigeria stands for.
“If Nigeria had succumbed to ICC, how can Nigeria then present itself as one of the leading countries in the continent?”
He called on Africans to resist another attempt by the West to colonise
the continent again, stressing that ICC had become a political organ
which Africa must resist.
The ambassador, who noted that ICC was
only targeting African leaders, also questioned the commitment of the
West in assisting the continent in the fight to eradicate AIDS/HIV,
tuberculosis and malaria.
Ali, however, urged the media to join in the struggle to protect the continent from the scramble by the West.
He said: “I beg you journalists not to betray Africa. Try and stand by Africa this time. You are the people to shape Africa.”
Source: Vanguard
