Another Judge Finally Replaces Bulkachuwa On Presidential Election Tribunal

The Presiding Judge of the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, Justice M. L Garba, has been appointed to head the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

Garba, who replaces the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, appeared on the five-man panel for the first time on Monday.

Concise News reports that Bulkachuwa had recused herself from the panel the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had asked her to step down over her husband’s position as a senator-elect of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Election Petitions Tribunal dismissed the application of the PDP and Atiku claiming it failed to prove any bias on the side of the President of the Appeal Court and against Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution which prohibited gender discrimination.

However, Justice Bulkachuwa opted to withdraw from the panel for “personal reasons”.

Speaking after stepping down, Bulkachuwa joked that she hoped the parties would not accuse the next female judge of “bias”.

This online medium understands that there are three other petitioners challenging the outcome of the poll.

The petitioners are challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party in the 2019 presidential election.