The legal team of the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has expressed concerns over the delay in replacing the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, on the five-man panel of the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
Speaking with Punch, the petitionersā lead counsel, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu (SAN) said that they had detailed their concerns in writing to the President of the Court of Appeal.
Uzoukwu said the letter has been “delivered at the President of the Court of Appeal’s office on Friday morning.”
The petitioners’ lead counsel said: āI am not aware of any new development. We have not been served with any hearing notice. But we have written to the President of the Court of Appeal to remind her of her promise to bring in a replacement, having recused herself. It is yet to be fulfilled. That is where we are.
āWe are waiting to see what will happen, having done that.ā
When asked if they were worried in the delay to appoint a replacement for Justice Bulkachuwa, he said: āOf course, we are bound to be.ā
Until May 22, Justice Bulkachuwa was the head of the five-man panel of the Presidential Elections Tribunal.
However, she withdrew her membership due to the allegation by PDP of her likely bias in the case since she had family ties with some top members of the All Progressives Congress.
Ā©SR