NJC condemns Bulkachuwa’s remark, NBA seeks prosecution, petition IGP
By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The National Judicial Council (NJC) at its 102nd meeting held in Abuja on June 14, decried the unpleasant and sensational remarks by Senator Adamu Muhammad Bulkachuwa, husband of former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa.
Senator Bulkachuwa made the unpleasant remarks which evoked wide reactions across the country during the valedictory session held by the Senate last Monday.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) disclosed the position of the NJC in a statement made available to newsmen.
The President of NBA also urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) “to immediately invite Senator Adamu Muhammad Bulkachuwa for interrogation and proceed to prosecute him accordingly,” saying that “I shall write a letter to both the IGP and the ICPC Chairman in this respect.”
Maikyau who noted that he reported the embattled senator’s conduct to the NJC during its meeting on Wednesday June 14, wrote: “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.”
Maikyau noted that notwithstanding interruptions by erstwhile Senate President Ahmad Lawan, “given the office held by Senator Bulkachuwa’s wife which he clearly mentioned in his remarks, no one would be left in doubt as to the sort of help he either succeeded or did not succeed in securing for his colleagues, with whom he had since become good friends and still remain good friends.”
Maikyau stressed that the statements by Bulkachuwa “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.”
However, he stated 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 of judicial processes.”
