From Idu Jude, Abuja
Concerned about apparent disregard by authorities to disclosure by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa during a recent validatory speech in the Senate, in which he spoke of his influence on his wife, a one-time President of the Appeal Court, to parry judgements in favour of his cronies, civil society organisations under the guise of Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development IRIAD and The electoral Hub, have condemned in totality the act which, according to them, was targeted at ridiculing the ability and capabilities of the judiciary.
According to a statement signed Wednesday by Princess Hamman- Obels, Director Electoral Hub, it is quite unfortunate to see the Nigerian judiciary being ridiculed in this manner even among the lawmakers.
Senator Bulkachuwa’s statement, according to the group, should be probed by the police and other relevant authorities so that it serves as a deterrent to others.
The statement read in part:
“Following the valedictory session of the 9th Assembly, the Nigerian media space was thrown into a frenzy by Senator, Adamu Muhammad Bulkachuwa thanking his wife, retired Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, former President of the Court of Appeal.
“We want to state here that the revered Judicial institution plays a key role in upholding the principles of justice, fairness and the rule of law, and ought not to be tainted by outside influence. It is, therefore, very unsettling that a lawmaker entrusted with representing the interests of the people boasts about influencing the decisions of a high-ranking judge.
“In the interest of our democracy and the sanctity of our electoral process, we call on relevant stakeholders to thoroughly investigate this anomaly and ensure the prosecution of everyone found culpable. Immediate action is required in the interest of the public good.
“We specifically call on the Nigerian Police Force, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Nigeria Judicial Council to take steps towards restoring the trust in our judiciary.
“We implore these institutions to conduct a collaborative review of actions or inactions of Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa while in office. This would help in establishing the basis on which judicial proceedings can be initiated and the sanity of our democratic experience restored.
“It is our position that the inadvertent admission of guilt should not be allowed to go unaddressed. Relevant governmental agencies should act to restore public trust. Citizens and civil society actors should continually follow up the process and engage actively in action in the interest of our democracy.
We reiterate that accountability, transparency and justice are major requirements for democracy, democratic consolidation and societal development.”