QUOTABLES

‘So far, we have empanelled 78 Panels, to cover the Election Tribunals in all the States of the Federation, excluding Jigawa State, where no election petition has been filed....There are presently 786 petitions, with Imo State having the highest number of 76 petitions, which necessitated the posting of six Panels to the State.’

– Hon. Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa OFR, President, Court of Appeal, Federal Republic of Nigeria

‘The Law is clear. The only time you can raise an objection to the impartiality of a tribunal, is when you have material facts....Assuming that the husband of Hon. Justice Bulkachuwa is a presidential candidate or a party in this action, there is a valid question that you can raise. Throughout Nigeria, from 1999 - 2007, you didn’t know that you had Judges and Justices, who were spouses and aunties of PDP members.....Nobody raised objection!’

– Daniel Hassan Bwala, Legal Practitioner, Member of Lincoln’s Inn of England and Wales

‘....In my own opinion, Hon. Justice Bulkachuwa, is a Judge of high integrity. The point is, the likelihood of bias.... Will the public viewing the appointment, say there’s a likelihood that she can be influenced by her spouse, to the extent that the APC takes the advantage of that influence? If the answer is yes, then the ideal would be, for her to recuse herself.’

– Hon. West Idahosa, Lawyer, former member of the House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria