NBA Asks IGP, ICPC To Prosecute Justice Bulkachuwa’s Husband After Revealing He Influenced Wife’s Court Decisions

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to immediately invite Senator Ahmad Muhammad Bulkachuwa for interrogation and proceed to prosecute him after he disclosed that his wife, former Court of Appeal President Justice Zainab, “accepted my encroachment, and extended her help to my colleagues.”

This follows a viral video clip on social media where Senator Bulkachuwa, during the valedictory session of the 9th Senate on June 12, said his wife assisted his colleagues at the National Assembly apparently when matters came to the Appellate Court.

“I look at faces in this chamber whom have come to me and sought for my help when my wife was the President of the Court of Appeal.

“And I must thank particularly, my wife, whose freedom and independence I encroached upon while she was in office, and she has been very tolerant and accepted my encroachment, and extended her help to my colleagues.

“I did my best and in most cases I succeeded,” Senator Bulkachuwa had said.

The former Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, was seen interjecting the senator, asking him not to speak further in that line.

Recall that Justice Bulkachuwa had to recuse herself from the 2019 Presidential Election Petitions Court sitting following a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party that alleged she would not give justice in the case because her husband was a senator-elect under the APC.

The 2019 panel had dismissed the PDP petition but Justice Bulkachuwa later recused herself on personal grounds.

Reacting to the development, the NBA president, Yakubu Maikyau SAN, said given the office held by the former Justice, no one would be left in doubt as to the sort of help the senator either succeeded or did not succeed in securing for his colleagues in NASS.

He added that the admission of the senator is proof that there was an attempt to pervert justice in the court by relevant stakeholders.

“The statements were clearly admissions by the Senator, that he did attempt to, and/or actually perverted the course of justice/interfered with due administration of justice, which makes him liable to be investigated and prosecuted even on his admission.

“That this came with a huge negative impact on the integrity and the independence of the Judiciary can only be an understatement.

“At the 102nd meeting of the National Judicial Council (NJC) held today, 14 June 2023, I took the liberty of my membership of the Council to complain about the rather disgusting and despicable conduct of Senator Bulkachuwa, which was a direct attack on the integrity of the Judiciary.

“The NJC condemned the actions of the Senator in the strongest terms as an affront on the integrity and independence of the Judiciary,” he stated.

He asked the police authorities and anti-graft agency to invite the senator to make further disclosures.

He added, “I made it clear to the Council that, while the NBA will at all times rise to the defence of the honour, integrity and independence of the judiciary, we shall not hesitate to take on anyone, either within or outside the legal profession, who takes steps or makes statements that are capable of undermining the independence of the judiciary and the impartiality judicial processes.

“I shall write a letter to both the IGP and the ICPC Chairman in this respect.

“We reiterate our commitment to the maintenance and defence of the integrity and independence of the Judiciary in Nigeria, within the bounds of the law, irrespective of the personalities involved.”