The Coalition for Protection of Democracy (CoPDEM) has demanded the review of decisions taken by the former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, by the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) following the voluntary confession of her husband, Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa.
Bulkachuwa, who was the Senator representing Bauchi South in the Ninth Assembly, had during the Valedictory Session confessed that he influenced judicial decisions in favour of some senators while his wife was President of the Court of Appeal.
Reacting to the voluntary confession, CoPDEM in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Daniel Elombah asked the NJC to review all decisions made by the Court of Appeal on election matters under the leadership of Justice Bulkachuwa, especially those connected directly or indirectly with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group recommended that after the review, if it is found that there are merits to the confession made by her husband on national TV, Justice Bulkachuwa’s retirement should be converted to dismissal and all those decisions overturned.
The statement reads in part: “We are shocked following the voluntary confession of former Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who represented Bauchi South in the Ninth National Assembly, during the valedictory session in the Senate chambers, that he helped some senators by influencing decisions of his wife when she was the President of the Court of Appeal.
“The confession is a monumental embarrassment to the Judicial Arm of government, which is the last hope of the common man.
“Keeping quiet on this matter by the National Judicial Council (NJC) will not do any good for the Judicial Arm of government in this country.
“We therefore ask the NJC to review all decisions made by the Court of Appeal on election matters connected directly or indirectly to APC. And if it is found that there are merits to the confession made by her husband on national TV, Justice Bulkachuwa’s retirement should be converted to dismissal and all those decisions overturned.”
It would be recalled that Justice Bulkachuwa retired from active service on her 70th birthday, on March 6th, 2020 and a Valedictory Court Session in her honour was held on the eve of her retirement.
