Finally, Justice Bulkachawa Has Recused Herself From The Election Tribunal

By Uche Mbah

The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, appears to have won the first round in his quest to wrestle power from President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Chairman of the Court of Appeal has agreed to step down from the case.

Counsel to Abubakar, Livy Uzoukwu, SAN had objected to the President of the court of Appeal, Zainab Bulkachawa, heading the Tribunal.

Uzoukwu alleged that Bulkachawa is not qualified to be part of the tribunal based on clash of interest. Her husband,  he opined, is a Senator-elect under the All Progressives Congress platform. Besides, her son, he insisted, campaigned for President Buhari.  Buhari, however, reportedly denied any knowledge of the Judge’s  son campaigning for him.

The drama  started when four of the judges ruled that Bulkachawa should not recuse herself because of the allegations.

This was after a marathon sitting, Justice Olabisi Ige read the lead judgement, noting that the fact that her husband, a Senator-elect, under APC, and her son, a governorship aspirant under APC too, were not enough reasons for her to recuse herself from the case.

But Hon Justice Bulkachawal  decided to do the honourable thing.She  recused herself on personal grounds.

A new Chairman will be appointed to continue with the case.