Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa withdraws from presidential election tribunal

ABUJA, Nigeria – Chairman Presidential Election Tribunal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa today recused her from the tribunal after a prolonged sitting since she was likely to be biased. Her qualification to serve in the tribunal was called into question when the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) objected to her inclusion in the panel stressing that she would be biased since she is an interested party.

According to the PDP, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa is wife of Hon. Adamu Muhammed Bulkachuwa, a card carying member of the All Progressive Congress(APC) and Senator-elected, representing the APC in the red chamber.

But after prolong sitting today, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa decided to recuse herself, says Sahara reporters.

Earlier last week, the PDP had through her lawyer Livy Ozuokwu prayed the tribunal that the Chairman should recuse herself on the grounds that she will be biased in the case.

In a petition filed before the tribunal, PDP insisted that it is not comfortable that Justice Bulkachuwa, “a wife and mother of card carrying members of the All Progressives Congress”, nominated herself to head the Presidential election panel.

The PDP insisted that there are well over 80 Justices in the Court of Appeal that could effectively head the panel. The PDP equaly referred to the inaugural speech of Justice Zainab Bulkacuwa during which she stated “elections are held in Nigeria every four years into elective positions. No matter how well the election is conducted there are bound to be complaints…”

The PDP is of the view that making that by making the remark, it would appear that Honourable Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa had already prejudged the Presidential election as “well” conducted and that this Petition is one of the complaints that come up “no matter how well the election is conducted.

“I know that as a spouse of Honourable Adamu Muhammed Bulkachuwa, the Honourable Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa is so closely related to Honourable Adamu Muhammed Bulkachuwa that she cannot fairly hear and determine the instant Petition without eliciting the suspicion and anxiety of all right thinking persons, including myself”, PDP said.