A senior advocate of Nigeria and former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order a probe into the statements of Senator Adamu Muhammad Bulkachuwa at the valedictory session of the ninth senate last week, where he said he encroached on his wife’s freedom and independence as a former president of the court of appeal, in favour of his colleagues.
His wife, Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa retired as the President of the Court of Appeal, on March 6, 2020, after heading that bench for six years .
Her husband, Senator Bulkachuwa was elected to represent Bauchi North on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in 2019.
He didn’t contest for the seat in the February 2023 senatorial election, having lost to Siraj Tanko at the party’s primary election in 2022.
But, Samaila Kaila of the People’s Democratic party eventually won the seat at the Bauchi North Senatorial District election.
At the valedictory session of the 9th Senate, Senator Bulkachuwa said: “. “…Particularly my wife whose freedom and independence were encroached upon when she was in office. She has been tolerant and accepted my encroachment and extended it to my colleagues.”
But, The then president of the senate, Ahmad Lawan, quickly stopped him, saying he does not think it was appropriate for the senator to make such comments. “Distinguished Senator, I don’t think that is the right route to go”
In a press statement released on Tuesday, Dr Agbakoba called for a probe of the senator’s statement, calling it a monumental disgrace. “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”.
He added: “I represented Usman Tuggar in relation to disputed elections between him and Senator Bulkachuwa for Bauchi North senatorial. We lost in three courts. Senator Bulkachuwa seems to suggest why.”
“It remains for President Tinubu to cleanse the system in a most dramatic and fundamental process if he wishes to succeed.”
The chairman of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) also revealed across some platforms recently, that the NDIC bill assented to by former president Muhammadu Buhari few days before leaving office, had certain sections that were not included in the version passed by the national assembly.
In Olisa Agbakoba’s words, “The chairman of 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!!”
