JUSTICE BULKACHAWA QUITS PRESIDENTIAL TRIBUNAL

President of Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, has recused herself from Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

Bulkachuwa announced her departure from the tribunal on Wednesday.

The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on May 15 formally presented its request for her to step down from the tribunal.

PDP counsel led by Levi Ozoukwu had told the court that Bulkachuwa could be biased because of a statement she had made at the tribunal’s inaugural sitting on May 8.

Bulkachuwa had said: “No matter how elections were conducted, there was bound to be conflicts.”

The petitioner’s lawyers argued that she might have resigned to accept the outcome of the election even before arguments are presented.

PDP also said they wanted Bulkachuwa out because of her alleged ties with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

She is married to Mohammed Bulkachuwa who controversially replaced Usman Tuggar who had earlier won the APC primaries for Bauchi North Senatorial District.