Mixed reactions trail calls for Bulkachuwa to remove self from panel
By Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja
Mixed reactions have continued to trail calls by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Court of Appeal President, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa to remove herself as chairman of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
Some senior lawyers who spoke exclusively with the Daily Times described the fears expressed by the PDP as unfounded.
According to a professor of law and a senior advocate, Chief Awa Kalu, the PDP must have specific things to lay claim to as their reasons for asking remove herself other than the fact that her husband is a member of the ruling party.
The senior advocate said that ”if the only issue they have with her presiding over the panel is the fact that her husband is a senator-elect under the APC, then, they have no case.
”The case before the tribunal has nothing to do with her husband being a senator-elect. If they have something specific other than what they have presented, they should bring it up.
”An allegation of bias must be based on facts they can substantiate.”
Another senior advocate, Chief Mike Ahamba said he stands by the position of the PDP on the issue. According to him, he stands by whatever the PDP national chairman does to protect the candidate of the party.
On his part, Festus Ariyoh, an Abuja based lawyer said that the president of the Appeal Court is constitutionally empowered to chair the election petition panel, so, there is little or nothing the PDP can do to remove her.
Daily Times recalls that the presidential candidate of the PDP in the last general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had filed a petition at the tribunal challenging the declaration of President Mohammadu Buhari as winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The tribunal had at its inaugural sitting on May 8 declared that the tribunal will do justice without fear or favour. However, the PDP expressed fears that it may not get justice if the tribunal chairman continues to preside over its petition.
According to the party, they want Justice Bulkachuwa to remove herself from the panel on the ground that her husband is a senator-elect under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that is one of the respondents in the petition.
