Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, former Court of Appeal president and wife of Adamu Bulkachuwa, a Senator who represented Bauchi North in the 9th Assembly, has refuted claims by her husband that she compromised in favour of his colleagues in the Senate.
Her husband had during the Senate valedictory session of the 9th Assembly, said: “I look at faces in this chamber who have come to me and sought my help when my wife was the President of the Court of Appeal…
“And I must thank particularly, my wife, whose freedom and independence I encroached upon while she was in office, and she has been very tolerant and accepted my encroachment, and extended her help to my colleagues…”
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But the former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, cut him short and advised him to be cautious of his words.
Bulkachuwa’s comment was greeted with public criticism as the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) asked the Inspector General of Police and Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate his claims.
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According to Daily Trust, Justice Bulkachuwa said her husband’s words were untrue. Although her husband had earlier told BBC Hausa that he was misunderstood. He added that the former Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, did not allow him to finish his words. Hence, they were misunderstood.
“My attention has been drawn to the trending video of what was said by my husband Senator Adamu M. Bulkachuwa. I want to state categorically that I never at any time compromised my oath of office to favour any party who appeared before me throughout my judicial career spanning 40 years of service to my country.
“My decisions were always based on the facts, the law and in accordance with my conscience and oath of office.
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“Also, as President of the Court of Appeal, my fellow justices of the court can attest to the fact that I never interfered with the independence of any of the justices of the court in the discharge of their judicial functions,” she said in a statement.
After the 2019 presidential elections, PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar filed a motion asking for recused of Justice Bulakchuwa from the presidential election petition tribunal panel alleging that she will not be just and fair to the party being a wife of an APC-senator and a mother of an APC card-carrying member.
However, Justice Bulkachuwa stepped down from her panel after serious pressure was mounted on her by the PDP and other opposition parties.
