Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Human Rights activist and Space Law Expert, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, the former Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, and other concerned Nigerians have lambasted Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, who revealed that his wife, Zainab Bulkachuwa, a retired President of the Court of Appeal, was corrupt.
Senator Bulkachuwa had confessed to using his wife’s position to influence court cases in favour of his friends and colleagues.
Watch the video clip below:
Outgoing Senator Bulkachuwa said he influenced his wife, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, who retired as president of the court of appeal, in favour of senators. That's why Senate President Lawan was hushing him (another "off your mic" scenario). pic.twitter.com/O6qHCMSJTL
— Tim Elombah (@TimElombah) June 13, 2023
While he was still making what some considered as a “most reprehensible speech”, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan cut in: “Ah Distinguished, I don’t think it’s a good idea, going this direction.”
Reacting to the confession, Dr. Agbakoba, in a statement obtained by News Band, described the 9th Senate as a monumental disgrace for our institutions and called on the relevant authorities to take Bulkachuwa up immediately.
He said: “Senator Bulkachuwa’s statement at the Valedictory of the 9th Senate is a monumental disgrace for our institutions. This man deserves to be taken up immediately by the authorities.
“It is a blight on my confidence in our systems. I represented Usman Tuggar in relation to disputed elections between him and Senator Bulkachuwa for Bauchi North senatorial. We lost in 3 courts.
“Senator Bulkachuwa seems to suggest why President Bola Tinubu must cleanse the system in a most dramatic and fundamental process if he wishes to succeed.
“The chairman of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Commission (NDIC) has also made dramatic revelations pointing to possible deep rot in our systems of Government responsible for financial and monetary policy.
“The president ought to act now!”
On his part, Prof. Odinkalu, taking to his Twitter handle, @ChidiOdinkalu, said:
“Adamu Bulkachuwa so loved his wife that he had to take to the floor of the Senate to announce that she was a corrupt judge.”
In an earlier tweet, he noted:
“This is a confirmation of a badly kept secret: that as President of the Court of Appeal, Zainab Bulkachuwa was neither honorable nor interested in justice.
“With her husband who was in the @NGRSenate, they raped Lady Justice.
“Only an independent inquiry can uncover how badly the ppl tarnished the most by this confession of coital capture of the judicial process are serving judges who can never escape the suspicion that they are trading judicial decisions in their bedrooms.
“It is in their interest to speak up & insist on an independent inquiry.”
Jackson Ude, @jacksonpbn, tweeted:
“Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa, has confessed how his, wife Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, retired President of Court of Appeal, help politicians win election cases.
“Sen. Bulkachuwa is notorious for collecting bribes from politicians on behalf of his wife and other corrupt Judges to help them.”
Ndubuisi Ekekwe, @ndekekwe said:
“Unbelievable that a Senator whose wife was the president of the court of appeal could brag how he influenced her decisions. He embarrassed the senate president by revealing the open truth about Nigeria’s judiciary.
“We must give Senator Bulkachuwa a national award as a whistleblower of the month. Hope retired Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa will give a press release on how she was influenced! What a nation.”
JagabanOlu @jagabanolu, tweeted:
“This is incredible… he spoke with such confidence…. maybe he should be invited by the police foe a conversation and be prosecuted.”
@June12Post posted:
“In fact EVERY case presided over by ex-Judge Mrs Bulkachuwa should be revisited. Every prisoner sentenced by her should be released forthwith. The chain of legal events triggered by this confession is enormous….
While Jaypee, @JaypeeGeneral, recollected that the former President of Court of Appeal was accused to have collected N6 billion to dismiss during the 2019 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
Sharing the video below, he posted:
“Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, wife of Senator Bulkachuwa and the former President of Court of Appeal was accused to have collected N6B to dismiss Atiku Abubakar’s Petition in 2019!”
Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, wife of Senator Bulkachuwa and the former President of Court of Appeal was accused to have collected N6B to dismiss Atiku Abubakar’s Petition in 2019!
Happy Democracy Day, Nigerians!🇳🇬#AllEyesOnTheJudiciary pic.twitter.com/F5FV8Sv3V7
— Jaypee (@JaypeeGeneral) June 12, 2023
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