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APC Lawyer Advises Bulkachuwa to Quit and Protect Her Name
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has fixed 2pm on Wednesday to rule on an application filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, asking the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, to withdraw her membership of the five-man panel.
The panel fixed the time for ruling shortly after parties to the petition filed by Atiku and PDP presented brief oral arguments on the petitioner’s application on Wednesday.
Through their application filed through their lead counsel, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, on May 16, the petitioners urged Bulkachuwa to disqualify herself from further participating in the proceedings of the tribunal on the basis of alleged likelihood of bias.
The application was premised on the family ties which Bulkachuwa has with top members of the All Progressives Congress, the party whose victory is being challenged in the petition filed before the tribunal by both Atiku and the PDP.
They claimed that her husband, Adamu Bulkachuwa, being a senator-elect on the platform of the APC in Bauchi State, and her biological son, Aliyu Abubakar, being a governorship aspirant on the platform of the same party during the last electioneering in Gombe State, she would be biased against the petitioners in her handling of the proceedings.
In the course of the Wednesday’s hearing, the separate legal teams of the Independent National Electoral Commission, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the APC, filed counter-affidavits to oppose the application which they described as unmeritorious.
But in what appeared to be candid advice from the lawyer representing the APC, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), urged Bulkachuwa to “leave the matter” for the sake of her name with her retirement from the bench only barely a year away.
He said, “As it is fast becoming the norm and regrettably so, this is another havoc wreaked on the finest Nigerian jury.
“This is not the first time this is happening. Just recently, Justice Oyewole, whose immortal contribution was acknowledged by the counsel for the applicants a while ago, was written against not to be allowed to sit on the appeal panel on the Osun State governorship election petition.
“Nebulous as ‘likelihood of bias’ is, it has its own boundaries.
“The exhortation in all the authorities that have been cited, recognise that each case will have to be dealt with on its own merit.
“The matter before the court has nothing to do with governorship or National Assembly elections.
“Whatever the Constitution of a political party is, it is the Constitution of the country that is supreme.
“And nowhere in the Nigerian Constitution that the President is allowed to remove a governor or a member of the National Assembly.
“My conclusion, with respect, is that the application is blackmail. On the facts and the law, the application is most unmeritorious.
“But, with respect, next year, your lordship, the President of the Court of Appeal, will be bowing out gloriously by God’s grace.
“Your name, either the one you acquired before you got married or the one you acquired after you got married, none is for you alone. You hold them in trust and you have been blessed – being the first female President of the Court of Appeal in Nigeria.
“My lord, your youthful look may confuse one. You are old enough to be my mother. My lord, you standing in as my parent, I will say, ‘Mum, leave the matter’.”
The PDP and Atiku had filed their petition before the tribunal to challenge the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives at the February 23.
The Punch
Former Nigerian leaders, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), have expressed deep sorrow over the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday in London.
In separate condolence statements, the elder statesmen paid glowing tributes to the late Nigerian leader, describing him as a patriot who served the country with distinction as a soldier, administrator, and statesman.
Obasanjo, through a statement issued in Abeokuta, Ogun State, noted that Buhari played his role dutifully throughout his life and gave his best to the country.
“It is with a heavy heart that I received this afternoon the passing to glory of a colleague, a comrade, a co-patriot, General Muhammadu Buhari,” Obasanjo said.
“As a soldier, he played his role; as an administrator, he played his role; as a statesman, he played his role.”
He added that Buhari’s death comes at a critical time when Nigeria needed the wisdom and experience of leaders who have previously steered the country through difficult times.
“He will be sorely missed. May his soul rest in perfect peace,” Obasanjo added.
Babangida described Buhari as a brother, course mate, and fellow patriot whose life was defined by discipline, humility, and unwavering loyalty to Nigeria.
In a personal tribute, Babangida recalled their shared history that began in 1962 at the Nigerian Military Training College in Kaduna, noting that Buhari stood out early as a principled and deeply patriotic officer.
“Through the years, we shared trenches and trials, dreams and disappointments, victories and moments of reflection,” IBB said.
“Our bond was forged not only by military training but by a shared commitment to service and love for country.”
He acknowledged that while they may have held differing views at times, Buhari’s sincerity and patriotism were never in doubt.
“His passing today is not just the loss of a former Head of State or two-term civilian President—it is the loss of a symbol. He embodied the transition from the old guard to the new republic,” Babangida stated.
He prayed for Allah’s forgiveness for the late leader and extended condolences to his wife, Aisha Buhari, their children and grandchildren, as well as the entire nation.
“May his legacy endure, and may Allah (SWT) grant him Aljannatul Firdaus,” he concluded.
Veteran journalist and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bashorun Dele Momodu, has reaffirmed his unwavering support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to emerge as the presidential candidate of the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Monday evening, Momodu emphasised that while he stands with Atiku, he respects the right of other political supporters, including the Obi-dients to back their own candidates, particularly Labour Party’s Peter Obi.
“My best choice is Atiku, and that is what I expect Obi-dients to say, which I expect those who support Amaechi to say — there’s nothing wrong with that,” Momodu stated.
“I have never asked anyone not to support Obi. Obi is my very good friend. If you asked me about one of the people who should lead the coalition, I would say it should be Obi. But as a democrat, I’m appealing to them, hoping they will be able to do it democratically so that they will not say it was forced upon them.”
Momodu’s comments came amid heated debates surrounding who should lead the ADC-backed coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He stressed that all aspirants, including Obi and former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, should face the test of popularity through a democratic process.
The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has
scheduled Wednesday, April 2, 2025, to deliver its judgment on the petition filed by Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo in the September 21, 2024, gubernatorial election.
A three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, reserved judgment on March 3 after parties in the suit concluded their final arguments.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on September 22 declared Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election with 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo, who polled 247,274 votes, and Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata, who garnered 22,763 votes.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, alleging widespread irregularities, including
over-voting, ballot serialisation issues, errors in collation, and miscalculations in results.
In the suit marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024,
Ighodalo presented a senior technical officer from INEC’s ICT department as a witness, who tendered 154 BVAS machines as evidence to substantiate claims of
over-voting.
Adopting his final address, Ighodalo further alleged that results from 765 polling units were manipulated at the collation centers and that errors in computation affected the final outcome.
He urged the tribunal to nullify the Certificate of Return issued to Okpebholo and declare him the rightful winner of the election.
