Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Shortly after the decision of president of the court of appeal, Zainab Bulkachuwa, to recused herself from the presidential election petitions tribunal sitting in Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari has emphasised that he respects the country’s judiciary and is willing to abide by their decisions at all times.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement said, Buhari gave the assurance at an Iftar dinner with the representatives of the judiciary on Wednesday at his official residence, at the presidential villa, Abuja.
The President said he believed that the judiciary should be independent and recalled how he submitted himself to the adjudication of the courts three times on his way to becoming President without any fuss because, as he said, “I respect the institution. I have come before you three times before I got here on the fourth run for the office. Your word is the last word on any given issue.”
In the same vein, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate and former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, commended Justice Bulkachuwa for recusing herself from the tribunal.
In a statement last night he said: “The call by my legal team for Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa to recuse herself from the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal was predicated on this principle, being that her husband, Alhaji Mohammed Bulkachuwa, is an All Progressives Congress Senator-elect and the case she was expected to adjudicate upon had a bearing on that party.
“My legal team’s objection was not a reflection on Justice Bulkachuwa’s character or competence. As a matter of fact, I have great respect for her, being a pioneer and advocate for gender equality and female empowerment.”