Understanding the Bulkachuwa case as sign some Nigerian courts are manipulated

Calls have grown for the investigation and prosecution of former Bauchi senator Adamu Bulkachuwa after he admitted nudging his wife, a former appeals court president, to “help” his colleagues in the Senate.

Mr Bulkachuwa’s reference to his wife’s tenure as head of the second highest court in the land left no doubt he was referring to court cases involving lawmakers.

As he spoke on Tuesday during the Senate’s valedictory session, Senate president Ahmad Lawan repeatedly interjected, apparently to stop Mr Bulkachuwa from providing more details.

Mr Bulkachuwa, 83, managed to make a point before taking his seat. “And I must thank particularly my wife whose freedom and independence I encroached upon while she was in office and she was being very tolerant and accepted my encroachment and extended her help to my colleagues,” he said.

– Questionable justice

The Nigerian Bar Association said the senator’s comment was clearly an admission 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.”

Yakubu Maikyau, NBA president, called the remarks “disgusting and despicable” and said he had raised the matter at the meeting of the National Judicial Council, the judiciary’s highest decision-making body.

“The NJC condemned the actions of the Senator in the strongest terms as an affront on the integrity and independence of the Judiciary,” he said.

The association called on the police inspector-general and the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, to interrogate and prosecute the senator.

The case is seen by many as one of the clearest evidence that court rulings in Nigeria are sometimes influenced by other considerations than law. The former judge handled several cases of political disputes.

A former president of the bar, Olisa Agbakoba, called the senator’s comment “a monumental disgrace for our institutions.” “This man deserves to be taken up immediately by the authorities,” Mr Agbakoba said.

The NJC, headed by the chief justice of the federation, with powers to sanction judges, has not announced its position on the matter. Its spokesperson, Soji Oye, did not respond to Pluboard’s requests for comment.

Mr Oye told Peoples Gazette the body would be unable to act against the former judge because she had retired.

“The judiciary is on it. We heard it just like every other person. We heard it. But you know she is retired. She has retired from service. No disciplinary action can be taken against any retired official,” said Mr Oye.

Pluboard learnt separately the matter was discussed at the NJC’s meeting on Wednesday, but no decision was taken.

The NBA chairman who raised the case during the meeting said he has sent formal letters to the police and the ICPC demanding action.

In case you missed it, we transcribed the exchange between Mr Bulkachuwa and the Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, below.

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Senate President Lawan: Distinguished Senator Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa.

Senator Bulkachuwa: Mr president, distinguished colleagues, I remain Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa representing Bauchi North senatorial District. It is a moment when we have to say probably goodbye to each other.

For those of us that are not returning, we will still be around and we might keep on meeting again and again. For those who are going to be engaged in the 10th senate, well I wish you luck. And Mr. President, you know we have come a long way since 1999 and when we met again 2019, there were so many strange faces to me, strange faces that are not really or too strange because many of us here we have met informally and we had some confidential dealings of one sort or the other between us.

And they sought for my help and I did my best and in most cases I succeeded. And I’m they have thanked me for what I have done with words of mouth that was all. But I am very happy that since that time we became good friends and we remain good friends.

My political history has been very simple but challenging. Since I retired voluntarily from the civil service, from the diplomatic service, only to come back to my constituency and take part in politics, I have been, believe me, all on my own. On my own because for some odd reason which I cannot comprehend, all the governors of my state including those I helped to climb to that position never supported me for whatever political office I bid for.

But I am so grateful to Almighty Allah, that Almighty Allah has always been on my side and I have succeeded and won my elections despite the opposition from the executive, from the state. And I am sure many of those who knew my role in APC, or CPC before APC would wonder how I started from that side of the senate and ended up on this side from which I don’t regret. They wonder why would I take such drastic decisions, and I think Mr. President is one of such people who never still believed that I really crossed the carpet to this side.

But my reasons were very simple, since I never enjoyed the support of the party leadership in APC, they never recognised my role as a stakeholder, a mover and shaker of APC –  a founding member and they thought I was indispensable. Yes, nobody is indispensable but I made it clear to the leadership of APC that if you don’t recognise the value of any political actor you would soon come to realise his nuisance value and I tried to prove that to APC. That is why I moved to this side. Second and I promised the leadership of APC that I would mess APC up in Bauchi state and I am proud to say I have done that, I’ve succeeded.

Senate President Lawan: You can round up Distinguished Senator Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa. You can round up; you have less than a minute to round up.

Senator Bulkachuwa: Talking 10 minutes and why should you reject me. Because I crossed-carpeted?

Mr President: No, I don’t want anybody to interrupt you or disturb you, so round up?

Senator Bulkachuwa: Mr president, at my age I don’t think I will lobby anybody under the sun, I will do the right thing and I will always do the right thing and sincerely and honestly too.

So, I know, I look at faces in this chamber, whom have come to me and sought for my help when my wife was the president of the Court of Appeal and I am sure … (interrupted).

Senate President Lawan: Distinguished Senator Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa, I think I will advise you just round off and take your seat.

Senator Bulkachuwa: Many many names, we know ourselves.

Senate President Lawan: No, but this kind of insinuation will mean that there was favour, there was this and that, and the rest of it. I don’t think it was a good idea.

Senator Bulkachuwa: Mr. Chairman, I must say okay to round up since that is what you want me to do I’ll do that. And I must thank particularly my wife whose freedom and independence I encroached upon while she was in office and she was being very tolerant and accepted my encroachment and extended her help to my colleagues.

Senate President Lawan: Distinguished senator please I don’t think this is a good idea going this direction. It’s not a good idea, it’s not a good idea please.

Senator Bulkachuwa: Mr President I would say thank you and I will sit down.