TheCable

Livy Uzoukwu, lead counsel of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has asked Zainab Bulkachuwa, president of the court of appeal, to appoint her replacement on the presidential election tribunal in order to save time.

Bulkachuwa withdrew as head of the five-man panel of the tribunal on May 22, following a petition accusing her of a likelihood of bias.

In a letter sent to Bulkachuwa on May 31, Uzoukwu said the delay in the appointment of a replacement will stall the enforcement of justice which the judiciary stands for.

Silas Joseph, a member of the legal team who signed the letter on behalf of Uzoukwu, asked Bulkachuwa to act quickly considering “the strict requirement of keeping to the constitutional calendar for a petition and the obvious fact that time is also running fast against the petitioners.”

“I have the authority of the Lead Counsel, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu (SAN) to write this letter. My Lord will recall that on 22nd May 2019, the above mentioned Petition came up for a motion requesting that my Lord to recuse herself from further presiding or participating in this Petition. At the end of the proceedings, my Lord graciously recused herself on personal grounds and promised to appoint another Justice to continue with the Petition,” the letter read.

“My Lord, it is 9 (nine) days since the date my Lord recused himself and nothing has been heard regarding the replacement that was to be made thereafter.

“We pray my Lord to act timeously in appointing a replacement so that we will get a hearing notice and continue with the petition in the interest of justice.”

The PDP and Atiku had requested the withdrawal of Bulkachuwa on the ground that she is the wife of Adamu Bulkachuwa, APC senator-elect for Bauchi north senatorial district.